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Colombian 'war crime' denounced Colombia raid 'must be condemned'
(about 3 hours later)
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has branded a Colombian raid against Farc rebels inside Ecuador a "war crime". The leaders of Ecuador and Venezuela have called for clear international condemnation of Colombia for its raid against rebels inside Ecuador.
Venezuela and Ecuador sent thousands of troops to their borders after Colombia's incursion at the weekend. "This isn't going to cool down until the aggressor is condemned," said Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa.
The Organisation of American States (OAS) criticised Bogota's action, but fell short of an outright condemnation. In a bid to calm the crisis, the Organisation of American States (OAS) criticised Colombia but stopped short of outright condemnation.
Colombia has said the raid was necessary, and that its forces had found documents linking both Ecuador and Venezuela to the Farc rebels. Ecuador and Venezuela moved troops to their borders after Saturday's raid.
Venezuela and Ecuador cut diplomatic ties with Colombia after the incursion, which resulted in the killing of senior Farc commander Raul Reyes, and 16 others. Both countries also cut diplomatic ties with Bogota in response to the incursion, which resulted in the killing of a senior rebel commander, Raul Reyes, and 16 others.
'Genocidal' Colombia has apologised to Ecuador but said the raid was necessary.
The left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) has been fighting the Colombian government for more than four decades.
The OAS stopped short of formally condemning Colombia Borders: A sensitive issueTies hit all-time lowThe OAS stopped short of formally condemning Colombia Borders: A sensitive issueTies hit all-time low
Viewed by the US and the EU as a terrorist group, it is thought to fund itself mainly through the cocaine trade while holding hundreds of hostages for ransom and political ends. It said that its forces found documents linking both Ecuador and Venezuela to guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) - an accusation both countries reject.
Venezuela says it is close to completing a deployment of 9,000 soldiers to its border with Colombia, while Ecuador says it has sent 3,200 soldiers to its border with its neighbour. Speaking on Thursday in Brussels, Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said he saw no risk of war despite the military mobilisation.
As well as claiming Saturday's raid was a "war crime", Mr Chavez labelled Colombia's government "genocidal" and accused it of backing illegal right-wing paramilitaries. "The Colombian government has been very clear it won't use force," Mr Santos told Reuters news agency.
Mr Chavez was joined in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on Wednesday by Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, who said: "We are using all the peaceful and diplomatic channels available for the international community to condemn the aggressor [Colombia]." "It won't fall into the game of provocation."
He added he was "not satisfied" with the OAS resolution, which was approved at an emergency session in Washington and stopped short of the formally condemnation sought by Ecuador. Venezuela says it has sent some 9,000 soldiers to its border with Colombia, while Ecuador says 3,200 of its forces have been deployed to the frontier with its neighbour.
President Chavez accused Colombia of war-mongering, adding that the country was just a "lackey of United States imperialism". 'War crime'
He also poured scorn on claims by Colombia that a laptop found during its raid on the rebel camp held files indicating Venezuela gave the Farc $300m. In response to developments, the OAS unanimously approved a resolution saying that Colombia had violated the "principles of international law" by crossing into Ecuador.
But in Washington, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Tom Shannon, said: "We are disturbed by information... that appears to indicate some of Colombia's neighbours were either unable or unwilling to address a known Farc presence in their countries." During the emergency talks in Washington, the 34 OAS member states agreed to set up a commission of inquiry led by OAS head Jose Miguel Insulza to investigate the incursion.
The US, which gives Colombia billions of dollars in aid to fight drug-trafficking, was the only OAS member which offered Colombia unqualified support. A further meeting of OAS foreign ministers has been set for 17 March.
Brinkmanship Mr Correa, speaking in Caracas at a joint news conference with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, welcomed the resolution but said it was not enough.
The resolution also approved the creation of an OAS commission to investigate the incursion. Analysts do not expect any actual military conflict
Venezuela's and Ecuador's troop deployments have been viewed by analysts as a deterrent to any Colombian move to pursue Farc guerrillas across the border. Ecuador would not rest, he said, until the international community issued an explicit condemnation of Colombia.
Despite the brinkmanship, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said: "My personal view is that there's relatively little likelihood of military conflict." Mr Chavez, for his part, branded the Colombian raid a "war crime", adding that Bogota was just a "lackey of United States imperialism".
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said earlier in the week he would ask the International Criminal Court to bring genocide charges against President Chavez. "We demand condemnation of the Colombian government for this aberrant act," said Mr Chavez, indicating that he would limit trade and investment with Colombia.
He also insisted he would not allow his country to be drawn into open war with his neighbours but that his military would target the Farc "wherever they are". He poured scorn on Colombian claims that a laptop found during its raid on the rebel camp in Ecuador held files indicating that Venezuela had given the Farc $300m (£150m).
In Washington, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Tom Shannon said: "We are disturbed by information... that appears to indicate some of Colombia's neighbours were either unable or unwilling to address a known Farc presence in their countries."
The US, which gives Colombia billions of dollars in aid to fight the illegal drugs trade, was the only OAS member to give Colombia unqualified support.
Amid the war of words, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said: "My personal view is that there's relatively little likelihood of military conflict."
The Farc, which has been fighting the Colombian state for more than four decades, is viewed by the US and the EU as a terrorist group.
It is thought to fund itself mainly through drug-trafficking and holds hundreds of hostages for ransom and political ends.