Colombia seeks to re-establish ties with Ecuador

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-26 11:33

BOGOTA -- Colombia will seek to re-establish diplomatic relations with Ecuador despite a warning from the latter that tension could rise again if it turns out that Colombia's cross-border attack inside Ecuador on March 1 killed an Ecuadorian.


Ecuador's Foreign Minister Maria Isabel Salvador gestures during a press conference in Quito, March 25, 2008. Ecuador broke off diplomatic relations with Colombia over the March 1 raid on a camp of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on Ecuadorian soil, which killed top rebel commander Reyes and 24 others, including an Ecuadorian national. [Agencies]

Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said Tuesday that his country will ask the Organization of American States (OAS) to mediate in the fresh diplomatic crisis that has arisen with Ecuador.

"Our intention is to reestablish relations with Ecuador as soon as possible," said Araujo.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa warned Saturday that a diplomatic crisis could reoccur between the two countries if an Ecuadorian named Franklin Aisalia is proved to have been killed in the cross-border attack on a rebel base inside Ecuador by the Colombian army on March 1.

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said Monday he does not believe the death of the Ecuadorian in the raid will hurt relations between the two countries.

Ecuador has no reason to complain as bases run by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are a "legitimate military objective," he said.

The Colombian government is waiting for fingerprint charts from Ecuador to confirm the identification of the man, he said.

Ecuador broke off diplomatic ties with Colombia after Colombian troops attacked the FARC base inside Ecuadorian territory, killing over 20 rebels, including a top leader. The conflict briefly aroused fears of war in the Andean region as Ecuador and Venezuela ordered troops to their borders with Colombia.

Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia agreed to declare the border crisis over at the 20th Rio Group Summit in the Dominican Republic on March 7.



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