2009-11-03 21:13:38 - Colombia is already preparing for the 2012 Summit of the Americas, which will be held in Bogota.

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

The first meeting of the joint summit working group took place at the Organization of American States (OAS) on Thursday and Friday last week. Representing Colombia was Vice Minister of Foreign Relations, Clemencia Forero Ucros, who has stated that hosting the summit is a great responsibility and honor for Colombia. The Vice Minister

was quick to point out that while the host country has leadership, it needs the views and support of other countries and especially the OAS top brass.

During her few days in Washington, Forero Ucros also met the steering committee of the summit process at which representatives from all host countries of previous summits took part. OAS general secretary, Jose Miguel Insulza urged countries and international organizations to turn the summit into a process and not just an event, maintaining that early preparations meant that organizers could develop fundamental issues affecting the region so that concrete decisions could be made at the summit.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government has slammed the military agreement between Colombia and the USA on the use of Colombian military bases as secretive. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro pointed out that the agreement has not been discussed by the Congress of either country for starters.

Efe news agency reports that Venezuela has restricted crossings on two border bridges uniting Tachira State with Colombia's North Santander department. The move comes after two National Guard (GNB) sergeants were shot dead at a checkpoint. The military have also tried to seal off so-called "green paths" used by individual smugglers to take cans of gasoline and other Venezuelan products across the border into Colombia.

It has just been learned that Israel, a staunch ally of the USA and Colombia, accused President Chavez of turning Venezuela into an Iranian base in South America. Israeli Vice Foreign Minister, Dani Ayalon launched the attack at a press conference held in the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, just back in Venezuela after visiting Libya and Syria, is expected to make a statement sometime today.

It must be noted that Israel has an active presence militarily and politically in Colombia and was for many years said to be running Venezuela’s State intelligence service (DISIP).

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
news.editor@vheadline.com

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