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Colombia welcomes deal with Venezuela to solve border crisis

Xinhua, September 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Colombian government Monday welcomed an agreement with Venezuela to solve the border crisis between the two countries.

The deal was reached by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro in Quito, after the Uruguayan and Ecuadorian governments had offered to mediate.

The foreign ministries of the two countries have released a joint statement with a seven-point agreement, which highlighted the immediate return of ambassadors to Caracas and Bogota, a detailed investigation into the border situation, a high-level meeting scheduled for next Wednesday in Caracas between ministers of both nations to address border issues and a gradual normalization of border crossings.

Also, the Colombian and Venezuelan governments recognized each other's rights to follow the model of an independent economic, political and social country, to appeal to the spirit of brotherhood, unity and respect, and to continue working together with Ecuador and Uruguay.

Santos said he understood the legitimate concerns of Caracas regarding criminal gangs, smuggling and drug trafficking along the border, adding that the best way to fight these problems is working together, as the country has done effectively with Ecuador in the past.

"The solution to the border problem requires joint action. Ministers were asked to immediately address the sensitive issues," Santos said on his Twitter account.

Meanwhile, Maduro said the agreement was a "new beginning in (bilateral) relations based on respect and cooperation."

Ecuador, the current president of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Uruguay, of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), offered mediation as the border crisis between Colombia and Venezuela had not been solved by diplomatic means.

The border conflict started in late August when Maduro issued an order to partially close the border crossings to Colombia, and started a massive deportation of Colombian residents in the country, accusing them of smuggling and joining organized crime gangs.

The United Nations office in Colombia had called on both nations to resolve their differences as soon as possible in order to prevent a larger humanitarian crisis in the region. Endi