By IANS
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez have been urged by a group of 80 people from both countries to put an end to their differences, Spanish news agency EFE reported Sunday.
The group comprising of politicians, diplomats, academics and journalists, has made this request to the duo in a letter published in Colombian media Saturday.
In their letter, they urged both presidents to avoid giving statements that “only serve to escalate the crisis” between the two bordering countries.
They also called on presidents of other Latin American nations and the foreign ministries of Colombia and Venezuela to help in seeking “a rapprochement” in order to keep the deep historical and cultural ties between the two countries in tact.
Chavez had declared the relations of Colombia and Venezuela “frozen” last Nov 25, after Uribe had called off a mediation bid by Chavez for a prisoner swap with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels.
The mediation was meant for the release of some 45 high-profile people being held hostage by the rebels in exchange for the release of some 500 FARC guerrillas.
Former Colombian vice-president Gustavo Bell, former provincial governor Valle del Cauca, former foreign minister Augusto Ramiriz Ocampo were among the people who signed the letter on behalf of their country.
For Venezuela, the letter was singed by Margarita Lopez, Yajaira Bracho, Rodolfo Magallanes, Francine Jacome, Marleny Bustamante, Carlos Antonio Romero Mendez and Nebis Acosta.