[progchat_action] OAS Battles Over Resolution to End Ecuador-Colombia Dispute
 
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:39:03 -0500 (CDT)


(The OAS appears split. With the majority of South American countries
supporting Venezuela's demand to condemn the Columbian incursion while the
US with its usual allies - Columbia and Mexico- in opposition. SR)

OAS Battles Over Resolution to End Ecuador-Colombia Dispute

By Joshua Goodman and Matthew Walter
Bloomberg
March 17, 2008

Organization of American States members fought over the language of a
resolution aimed at settling a crisis that roiled the Andes region with talk
of war, as foreign ministers met today in Washington.

Venezuela is leading a group of 12 countries that favor condemning Colombia,
the U.S.'s closest South American ally, for crossing into Ecuadorean
territory to attack a camp of Colombian guerrillas, according to a statement
from Venezuela's information ministry.

``We still haven't reached an agreement,'' Venezuelan Foreign Minister
Nicolas Maduro said today at the OAS meeting, in comments broadcast by
Venezuelan state television. ``The peace of your country and my country
depends on this decision.''

The resolution seeks to defuse a regional crisis that erupted after
Colombia's military on March 1 conducted a raid into Ecuador to kill the
second-in-command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the
country's biggest guerrilla group.

Following the attack, Ecuador broke diplomatic relations with Colombia and
Venezuela temporarily shut its embassy in Bogota. Both countries sent troops
to their borders with Colombia, threatening war in the event of further
cross-border raids.

Tensions eased after a summit of Latin American presidents in Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic ended in hand shakes and hugs.

Investigation

The leaders agreed to have a committee investigate the attack. That panel,
headed by Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, went to the site of the
incursion. It delivered its recommendations after visiting the jungle camp
where Raul Reyes was killed along with 17 other Marxist rebels.

Colombia has acknowledged only crossing into Ecuador to verify the attack
hit its intended target, maintaining it bombed the camp from its side of the
board.

OAS members were to continue debating the wording of the resolution tonight
in Washington D.C. The U.S. and Mexico joined Colombia in fighting a
resolution of condemnation, according to the Venezuelan government
statement.

The U.S. has warned Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that it wouldn't
tolerate any interference in Colombia's half-century conflict with
insurgents.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a tour of South America last
week, said the U.S. government would analyze documents on four laptops
seized during the raid that Colombia says points to Chavez' support for the
rebels.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aUgbApeEjpeU&refer=latin
_america

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