Colombia to crack down on rebel groups

COLOMBIA: Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Wednesday that the country is seeking neighbours’ cooperation during its fight against rebel groups and drug dealers. Colombia’s ties with other countries are not a topic of “cosmetics” or “appearances”, and there is a need for a real commitment to cooperatively fight terrorism, Uribe told local radio station “La Carinosa.”

“This is a deep issue. Here what we need is a commitment that terrorism cannot be tolerated anywhere,” he said.

“A fundamental topic of Colombia’s diplomacy is that other countries are committed to not allowing in their territory Colombian terrorists,” he added.

Uribe did not make reference to a specific country. However, his comments were made before a possible visit of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Juan Manuel Santos August 7. Colombian press reports and members of Uribe’s Cabinet have suggested that some chiefs of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are hiding out in Venezuela.

Bogota, Xinhua