Venezuela
Rules Out Swift
Normalization Of Ties With Colombia
Caracas - Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez on Sunday ruled out
the possibility of a swift normalization of
ties with neighboring Colombia, snubbing an
offer of goodwill from his Colombian
counterpart Alvaro Uribe.
"He says he wants to fix the relationship
when he is wounding well-intentioned
brothers and neighbors, supporting a U.S
policy to divide us," Chavez said during his
weekly "Alo Presidente" TV program.
On Friday, Uribe said at a meeting of
entrepreneurs that his country hoped to
reconcile with Venezuela after their
relationship has been snagged repeatedly by
diplomatic frictions.
Chavez froze diplomatic ties with Colombia
on July 28, in response to Colombia's talks
with the U.S. to allow American troops to
use Colombian military bases, and to
Colombia's accusations that Caracas is
helping Colombian guerrillas to get weapons.
"They are defaming and harassing us," Chavez
said. The U.S. bases are a threat to the
region, and the U.S. is seeking access to
South American energy, water and food
resources, he said.
Venezuela shares a 2,220-kilometer border
with Colombia and there is a natural gas
pipeline running between the two countries.
Chavez also reiterated Venezuela's goal of
deepening relations with fellow South
American nations, in a bid to counteract
U.S. influence in the region. He again urged
Washington to pull out its military bases
from Latin America and stop interfering in
other nations' internal affairs. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
