Ecuador, Colombia to seal ties

ECUADOR: Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino met his Colombian counterpart, Maria Angela Holguin, Thursday to discuss the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"It is a pleasure to meet with you to discuss pending issues between our countries, with the will to advance, as our Presidents have defined, and to normalize our ties," Patino told Holguin.

Meanwhile, Holguin said that she hopes for progress till the restoration of ties.

Ecuadorian Security Minister Miguel Carvajal said there is an effort by both countries to achieve the full normalization of ties. Ecuador and Colombia severed diplomatic ties in 2008 after a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel base in Ecuador was raided, reportedly by the Colombian army. In August, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa held a meeting to discuss the normalization of ties, among other issues.

QUITO, Friday, Xinhua