By EFE,
Bogota: Colombia hopes to sign a controversial pact with Washington that would allow US military forces to use up to seven bases on its territory, authorities have said.
A source linked to Colombia’s defence ministry told EFE Saturday that negotiations regarding the pact were wrapped up in Washington Friday and President Alvaro Uribe’s government was expecting the pact to be formally signed “in two weeks”.
Colombian foreign ministry Friday confirmed that negotiations on the defence and security pact with the US had been concluded, and it would now go “for technical review by government agencies in each country for its subsequent signing”.
The proposed 10-year agreement for leasing military bases has sparked harsh criticism from governments in Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia and also caused concern in Brazil and Chile.
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez says the deal represents a threat to his country and could spark a war in the region.
Colombia, however, contends Venezuela has nothing to fear and maintains that the agreement will bolster the fight against drug trafficking and terrorist activity and is necessary after Ecuador ended a lease allowing US access to a base in that country.
“I believe that dialogue with Ecuador is possible,” Uribe said Friday at the assembly of the National Association of Business Owners, or ANDI, in Medellin, and added that the same could be true with Venezuela.