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South American Crisis Ends With Handshakes

After spat over raid, Colombia, Ecuador make nice with promises for future

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 7, 2008 6:55 PM CST
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(Newser) – The threat of war involving Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela was diffused today with a bevy of handshakes televised all over Latin America, Reuters reports. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his opposite number, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, reached an agreement on combating insurgents in the future; the Colombian military's killing of FARC rebels in Ecuador last weekend sparked the crisis.

The summit in the Dominican Republic—involving leaders from the three countries and from nations across Central and South America—was at times choppy, Reuters reports. Though Uribe and Correa clashed early over accusations of Ecuadorian support for FARC, their eventual détente was hailed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who, along with Ecuador, had massed troops at the Colombian border.

Police officers escort an arrested suspected rebel at the police headquarters in Lago Agrio, in northern Ecuador, near the border with Colombia, Friday, March 7, 2008. Five alleged members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, were arrested in the area where Colombian security forces killed the a senior...
Police officers escort an arrested suspected rebel at the police headquarters in Lago Agrio, in northern Ecuador, near the border with Colombia, Friday, March 7, 2008. Five alleged members of the Revolutionary...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by the Rio Group Summit, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, and Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez, center, talk to Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez during the Rio Group Summit in Santo Domingo, Friday, March 7, 2008. Uribe shook hands with the presidents of Ecuador and Venezuela, ending...
In this photo released by the Rio Group Summit, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, and Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez, center, talk to Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez during the...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, as Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez looks on during the Rio Group Summit in Santo Domingo, Friday, March 7, 2008. Uribe shook hands with the presidents of Ecuador and...
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, as Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, as Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez looks on during the Rio Group Summit in Santo Domingo, Friday, March 7, 2008. Uribe shook hands with the presidents of Ecuador and...
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, as Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez...   (Associated Press)
In this picture taken from a TV set outside the venue, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, as Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez looks on during the Rio Group Summit in Santo Domingo, Friday, March 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)
In this picture taken from a TV set outside the venue, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, as Dominican Republic's President Leonel Fernandez...   (Associated Press)
A Venezuelan soldier stands guard at a check point in Paraguaipoa, on the Venezuelan border with Colombia, Friday, March 7, 2008. Venezuela is starting to block billions of dollars in Colombian imports and investment under orders from President Hugo Chavez, threatening economic havoc in both nations in response to a...
A Venezuelan soldier stands guard at a check point in Paraguaipoa, on the Venezuelan border with Colombia, Friday, March 7, 2008. Venezuela is starting to block billions of dollars in Colombian imports...   (Associated Press)
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Venezuela • Colombia • Ecuador • FARC • Hugo Chávez • Alvaro Uribe • Rafael Correa • Organization of American States • Leonel Fernandez

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