MARIA LILIBETH DA CORTE
EL UNIVERSAL

Venezuelan and Colombian Presidents Hugo Chávez and Álvaro Uribe, respectively, met Thursday at the Paraguaná oil refining complex, in Punto Fijo, northwestern Falcón state to address energy and economic issues.

The Colombian president arrived in the International Airport Josefa Camejo around 9:00 a.m., Venezuelan state TV station Venezolana de Televisión informed.

"We are happy to arrive this morning to hold this meeting with president Chávez. It will be a brotherhood meeting between our peoples," Uribe said upon his arrival.

No details on their agenda were disclosed in advance, but talks are expected to focus on "energy, a gas pipeline, and an oil pipeline," said Uribe on Wednesday. The Colombian leader reminded, however, that Colombia and Venezuela share an extensive agenda "that needs revision on a permanent basis."

The two countries have shown willingness to leave bitter clashes -mostly related to border issues- behind and focus on common projects. Sources close to the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Ministry, however, did not rule out the possibility that Chávez and Uribe may talk about the Venezuelan ruler's recent claims that the Colombian secret police DAS has been plotting against his government.

"We have plenty of evidence that there (in DAS) conspiracies against Venezuela are fabricated," said Chávez recently. Uribe replied back then by demanding his Venezuelan counterpart to produce such evidence.
 
On the eve of this new tête-à-tête with Chávez, Uribe advocated conciliatory policies to overcome a crisis resulting from the fourth Summit of the Americas. He also called for prudence in relations with Venezuela and Ecuador, Colombia's major neighbors and trade partners.

"Colombia's stance regarding foreign affairs will continue to be based on a prudent speech, efficient results and a good deal of solidarity," Uribe Wednesday told radio Todelar, as quoted by AP.

He reminded that in the face of an impasse in the Summit of the Americas because of Chávez' determination to reject the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) with support from Brazil and Argentina, Colombia has played a "role of conciliator" in an attempt to save both the agreement and the regional unity.

In this regard, Venezuelan Vice-President José Vicente Rangel Wednesday ruled out any complaints against Uribe. "All countries are independent and sovereign."

He also dismissed claims that this meeting is "hasty," arguing that the two rulers are aiming at the "rapprochement" of their nations. "We are friends and neighbors. President Uribe talked to Chávez over the phone. He decided to come to Venezuela and they scheduled this meeting."

Late Wednesday, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Alí Rodríguez stated that the central issue in Chávez-Uribe meeting would be "the agreed construction of a gas pipeline from Punta Ballenas, in the Colombian Guajira, to the Paraguaná refinery (in northwestern Falcón state), to supply gas to this facility and substitute liquid fuels that are burnt there at the present time."

In a press release, Rodríguez added that the two Presidents are to discuss the layout of a multi-purpose pipeline -a project that has been under discussion for some time now. Colombia, Venezuela and China are expected to participate in this plan. "The goal is to transport oil and by-products from the Venezuelan Caribbean to the Pacific, in a way to supply this area in our continent and markets as far as Asian markets," Rodríguez explained.

Good relations
According to Rangel this meeting with Uribe and a recent visit by Argentinean President Néstor Kirchner are a source of "frustration for some analysts and political experts who are permanently disqualifying Venezuelan foreign policy."

"Uribe's visit ratifies our good relations with Colombia and the amplitude and spectrum of President Chávez' diplomatic relations," Rangel added.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.