Ecuador Ready To Resume Ties With Colombia
Quito - Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Fander
Falconi has expressed readiness to meet with
his Colombian counterpart, Jaime Bermudez,
during his US visit scheduled for later in
September on the margin of a UN General
Assembly in New York, AP reported.
Falconi, however, appeared reserved on a
swift re-establishment of ties and noted,
"We should be cautious at this moment. We
are going to start a dialogue, but the two
societies, the two peoples, should
understand that we are not going to
immediately re-establish diplomatic
relations."
"The point here is to not be too optimistic
or too pessimistic," added Ecuador's top
diplomat who has set September 22 for an
official meeting with Bermudez.
The two South American states cut off
relations in March 2008 after Colombian
soldiers raided a camp in Ecuador where the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
had stationed their guerrillas. Twenty-four
FARC rebels, including a top commander, were
killed in the attack.
Ecuadorian authorities slammed their
northern neighbor for the 'illegal'
incursion and demanded an explanation.
Colombia, for its part, accused Ecuador of
helping FARC militia that have been running
anti-Bogota campaigns for the past 45 years
-- an allegation rejected by Ecuadorian
officials.
Efforts to diffuse the bilateral tensions
failed in early 2008, as trading of
allegations led to the severance of ties.
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