MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombia, Ecuador drop plans to restore diplomatic ties

Pte. Rafael Correa

Relations between Colombia and Ecuador grew chillier Tuesday, as Colombia postponed restoring diplomatic ties at the level of trade-attache because of “aggressive” remarks by Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa.

Ecuador retaliated in full, saying it had dropped plans to renew diplomatic ties with its neighbor -- ruptured after Colombia's March 1 bombing of a Colombian rebel camp in Ecuador -- and would consider limiting bilateral trade. Correa and his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe agreed two weeks ago to re-establish ties this week at the trade attache level, but Bogota delayed the move over remarks Correa made to an Argentine newspaper. Correa told Pagina 12 that for a full re-establishment of ties his government would demand that the Colombian attack "be fully clarified," and said that "the bombs (used) were American." "We have decided to postpone this rapprochement in the hope that the attitude of the government of Ecuador, and especially that of President Correa, becomes a friendly one," Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said. "We don't feel comfortable reestablishing ties amid such aggressive statements from President Correa," Araujo said. The Colombian diplomat said rapprochement would be postponed "we don't know how long, it depends on the reaction and the attitude of President Correa and the government of Ecuador." "After this latest non-fulfillment of promises ... by Colombia, the government of Ecuador has decided not to renew relations with this country," Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Maria Isabel Salvador shot back in Quito. "If the situation does not improve, above all in Colombia's position toward Ecuador, we don't rule out the possibilities of imposing trade restrictions," she said. Colombia is Ecuador's second trade partner following the United States. Trade between the two nations was worth 2.1 billion dollars in 2007 -- 651 million dollars in Ecuador exports and 1.5 billion dollars in Colombian imports. Ecuador has demanded compensation for the March attack, which killed the second in command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) along with four Mexicans and an Ecuadoran. Colombia says the attack was a legitimate act of self-defense to prevent terrorist acts by the guerrilla group in its territory and in Ecuador. (AFP)