BAN WELCOMES REGIONAL EFFORTS TO EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN COLOMBIA AND ECUADOR

BAN WELCOMES REGIONAL EFFORTS TO EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN COLOMBIA AND ECUADOR New York, Jun 4 2008 1:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his strong support of continuing regional efforts to help restore normal bilateral relations between the Andean neighbours Colombia and Ecuador.

The Organization of American States (OAS) discussed how to restore relations at the group's latest summit, held earlier this week in Medellín, Colombia, according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3206">statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General is pleased that a report presented by OAS Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza to the foreign ministers of the Americas gathered in Medellín noted progress in efforts to restore normal bilateral relations between the two countries, and that the foreign ministers requested that Mr. Insulza continue to exercise his good offices in this regard," the statement noted.

Tensions between the two countries surged in March after Colombian military forces launched a cross-border raid into Ecuador that led to the killing of a senior member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a rebel group.
2008-06-04 00:00:00.000

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