[progchat_action] Columbia apologizes - Crisis resolved
Steven L. Robinson
Colombia Apologizes At Regional Summit
By Juan Forero
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, March 8, 2008; Page A09
Bogota, Colombia -- The presidents of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela on
Friday agreed to end a bitter standoff that had resulted in troop
deployments, a downturn in trade and a rupture in diplomatic relations.
The crisis began after Colombia bombed a rebel camp last Saturday just
inside Ecuador, killing 24 guerrillas, including Luis Edgar Devia, a top
commander. The strike marked the first time the army had killed a member of
the directorate of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a
guerrilla group that has been fighting here for 44 years.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe had come under criticism from various Latin
American governments for the incursion, but at a regional summit in the
Dominican Republic on Friday he heartily shook hands with Ecuadoran
President Rafael Correa, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan
President Daniel Ortega. All three of those nations had broken relations
with Colombia over the incident.
The resolution of the crisis, at a meeting of the 20-nation Rio Group, came
in the form of a declaration that noted Uribe had apologized for the raid
and that he promised never to violate another nation's border. "With the
apology and the promise of never again violating a brother country, we have
overcome this very grave crisis," said Correa, in comments that were
broadcast live across much of Latin America
Although the meeting ended on a positive note, the most serious issue raised
in the debate -- that Colombian rebels operate with the help of foreign
governments -- has not been resolved and is sure to fester.
The news came soon after the Defense Ministry in Bogota reported the death
of a second member of the FARC's top command. Manuel Jeszs Muqoz, better
known by his nom de guerre, Ivan Rmos, did not die in battle, but rather was
killed by his own men this week in a mountainous, coffee-growing region of
north-central Colombia, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told reporters.
The slaying appeared to reflect serious internal divisions in an
organization that has in recent months seen several seasoned, mid-level
commanders killed in combat and hundreds more desert.
Colombian officials said that Muqoz's men, tired of running from troops,
decided to kill him. Santos said they then severed his hand and presented
it, along with Muqoz's identification card and computer, to an army column
that had been pursuing the guerrillas. The United States had placed a $5
million bounty on Muqoz's head, accusing him of coordinating
drug-trafficking operations.
The issue of Colombian guerrillas and whether they are harbored by Venezuela
and Ecuador marked the often heated exchanges at Friday's summit, which had
been scheduled previously. Ecuador, Venezuela and Nicaragua focused on
Colombia's violation of Ecuador's sovereignty, while Colombia said that its
people are under threat from rebels hiding outside its borders.
Uribe came out firing, accusing Correa of ties to the FARC. He cited as
evidence a letter culled from a computer that commandos recovered in the
camp that belonged to Devia. Uribe said the letter showed that the FARC
supported Correa during his 2006 presidential campaign.
Correa, a leftist, U.S.-trained economist, angrily rejected the allegations,
accused Uribe of lying and explained that his government has battled against
FARC units in Ecuador's northern jungles.
"How hard it is to believe something from someone who has lied so many
times," Correa said. "My hands are clean, and free of blood."
Other presidents at the summit applauded the Ecuadoran leader, who along
with Chavez had vowed to marshal international condemnation for Colombia's
incursion.
Chavez, who had been accused this week of assisting the FARC, also denied
any ties. "I have never done it and will never do it," he said. "I could
have sent a lot of rifles to the FARC. I will never do it because I want
peace."
Uribe, though, said his country had been attacked 40 times since 2004 by
Colombian rebels who used Ecuador as a launching pad. He also explained why
he didn't inform Correa of the strike against Devia, who had been located
with the help of a rebel who deserted, military officials said.
"I didn't inform him of the operation because we have not received
cooperation from his government in the fight against terrorism," Uribe said.
Tensions eased after Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, the host of the
summit, appealed for calm and said, "What all of us would like is for this
meeting to end with a hug, a handshake, between the presidents of Venezuela,
Colombia and Ecuador."
With the hearty handshakes, the countries resumed normal diplomatic and
commercial relations. Uribe also said that he would not file a complaint
with the International Criminal Court accusing Chavez of aiding the FARC, as
he had vowed earlier.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/03/07/ST200803070358
1.html
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