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Uribe and Chavez try to heal rift Uribe and Chavez try to heal rift
(about 6 hours later)
The presidents of Venezuela and Colombia are to meet in an effort to put aside differences that have embittered ties between the neighbours. The presidents of Venezuela and Colombia have met in an effort to put aside differences that have embittered ties between the neighbours.
The two are also expected to sign a number of economic and trade accords.
Colombia's Alvaro Uribe and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez have exchanged insults and accusations in a series of rows over the past eight months.Colombia's Alvaro Uribe and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez have exchanged insults and accusations in a series of rows over the past eight months.
Analysts say improving links will be of political and economic benefit to both.
Relations hit the lowest point in years in March when Colombia attacked a Farc base in Ecuador, Venezuela's ally.Relations hit the lowest point in years in March when Colombia attacked a Farc base in Ecuador, Venezuela's ally.
Bogota has accused President Chavez of funding the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which lost a senior leader in the raid. Analysts say improving links will be of political and economic benefit to both.
Bogota has accused President Chavez of funding the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (or Farc), which lost a senior leader in the raid.
Mr Chavez, who has called for the group to be taken off international lists of terrorist organisations, denies the claims, saying any contact was related to negotiations to secure the release of hostages it was holding.Mr Chavez, who has called for the group to be taken off international lists of terrorist organisations, denies the claims, saying any contact was related to negotiations to secure the release of hostages it was holding.
Mr Uribe is not expected to mention the Farc during the talks in Venezuela on Friday. He has distanced himself from Farc in recent weeks, calling on them to end their campaign of violence.
We said some harsh things, [but] between brothers these things happen Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Interdependent
There is no love lost between the two leaders, who sit at opposite ends of the political spectrum - Mr Uribe is a staunch ally of US President George W Bush, who Mr Chavez calls the Devil. Before meeting Mr Uribe in the town of Punta Fijo, Mr Chavez said he would treat his Colombian counterpart as a "brother".
But Mr Chavez said last week that Mr Uribe would be received as a "brother and as a friend". We said some harsh things, [but] between brothers these things happen Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez He said the talks were aimed at a "relaunch of co-operation, peace and [the] integration of Latin America".
"We are not going to make war with Colombia," he said. "We said some harsh things, [but] between brothers these things happen. It happened and hopefully that's it." A statement from the meeting has not yet been released, but Mr Uribe was not expected to mention the Farc.
Mr Uribe was similarly conciliatory, saying he would aim to extend links with the Venezuelan people. The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia says that despite the political differences between their leaders, the two neighbours need to get on for their political and economic health.
Economic clouds
The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Medellin says the truth is that the two neighbours are economically interdependent and need to get along for their political and economic health.
Mr Chavez's open support for the Farc was not popular at home and he wants his supporters to do well in November's elections for the National Assembly, our correspondent says.Mr Chavez's open support for the Farc was not popular at home and he wants his supporters to do well in November's elections for the National Assembly, our correspondent says.
Mr Uribe is still basking in international praise since the Colombian army freed former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other important hostages from the guerrillas this month, he adds.Mr Uribe is still basking in international praise since the Colombian army freed former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other important hostages from the guerrillas this month, he adds.
There are also economic clouds on his horizon with the Colombian economy showing signs of slowing down and inflation creeping up. The two presidents are expected to sign a number of accords on trade, taxes and border co-operation.
Our correspondent says both need the $5bn (£2.51bn) worth of trade a year to hold steady or better still increase and that will only happen if relations improve.