CARACAS, Friday July 11, 2008 | Update
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez (left) welcomes his Colombian counterpart Álvaro Uribe at Paraguaná Refinery Compound near Punto Fijo, in the northwestern Venezuelan state of Falcón (Photo: Jorge Silva / Reuters)
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said that as from Friday,
upon a meeting held with his Colombian counterpart Álvaro
Uribe in western Falcón state, bilateral relations are
starting a new era.
The Venezuelan president hailed the talks with President
Uribe as helpful to "turn completely over a new leaf," following
a political storm.
Chávez welcomed Uribe on Friday near 11:30 a.m. in the
city of Punto Fijo, western Falcón state; a few minutes
later both of them were visiting Amuay Refinery.
Shortly before his meeting with Uribe, President Chávez
heralded a renewed momentum of bilateral relations. "Venezuela
not only looks for peace in the hemisphere, but also seeks
integration of our peoples, and this meeting is meant for
rapprochement, re-launching, cooperation, peace and Latin
American integration," he said.
"We need to take again the way, reactivate the relations.
Now, this depends on many things. I am not to say anything
in advance. I have said enough. Later on, we will offer a
press conference," added Chávez.
The two presidents are expected to tour the Amuay refinery,
370 kilometers to the northeast of Caracas, before holding
a private meeting and having lunch.
The reunion is basically aimed at burying months of cross
criticism and insults that have dramatically affected border
cooperation and substantial trade relations, as quoted by
AFP.
04:20 PM. Western Hemisphere. Colombian President Álvaro Uribe said on Tuesday that governments should ensure citizens' rights to live on the border, in reference to a political and diplomatic crisis with Venezuela and its effects on border residents.