Venezuela's
Border With Colombia
Remains Open
Caracas - The Venezuelan
government said Wednesday that its border
with Colombia remains open despite a
diplomatic impasse between both nations.
The impasse was triggered by the alleged
weapon supply from Caracas to Colombian
rebel groups.
Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez
said despite his government's decision to
freeze diplomatic ties with Colombia,
Venezuela had not issued any measures to
close the border or block trade.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Tuesday
announced his government's decision to sever
diplomatic and commercial ties with
Colombia.
He ordered the withdrawal of all diplomatic
staff in Colombia and added that economic
and diplomatic ties with Colombia were
frozen.
Chavez said the measure was an answer to the
"irresponsible declarations" made by the
Colombian government accusing Venezuela of
selling weapons to the Colombian rebel
group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (FARC).
Bogota said some Swedish-made weapons bought
by Venezuela during the 1980s had ended up
in the hands of the FARC.
On Wednesday, Carrizalez said that weapon
trafficking was a worldwide problem and that
Colombia's accusations were only based on
pictures.
Secretary General of the Organization of
American States (OAS) on Wednesday called on
both countries not to take commercial
retaliation for the diplomatic impasse and
to solve the conflict through dialogue.
The current spat further raised tensions
between the two neighboring countries after
Chavez previously called a stronger military
relationship between Colombia and the United
States a threat to his country.
Colombia announced earlier this month that
the United States would use three Colombian
bases to fight drug trafficking in the
country.
Carrizalez said Wednesday that the Colombian
government seeks "to justify what is
unjustifiable" with the U.S. military bases
in Colombian territory.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
