Colombia's energy minister told Colombia radio Tuesday that his nation will fulfill energy agreements with Venezuela despite their diplomatic crisis.
"Colombia's commitment to supply gas starting in 2008 via the gas pipeline built by state company Petroleos de Venezuela will be fulfilled," Hernan Martinez said.
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez recalled his ambassador from Bogota earlier Tuesday in a dispute that began when Colombian President Alvaro Uribe barred Chavez from mediation with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group.
Uribe removed Chavez from the negotiations, saying that he had broken the conditions of his involvement by speaking directly to the head of the Colombian army.
In a television broadcast Sunday, Chavez said he had put Venezuela's relations with Colombia on ice.
Also on Tuesday, Colombia's Trade, Industry and Textiles Minister Luis Plata said that Venezuela-Colombia transactions were taking place normally and backed Martinez's position on trade.
Chavez has accused Uribe of seeking excuses to break off his mediation with the FARC, which had sought a swap of 45 high-level FARC hostages for around 500 FARC fighters held in Colombian jails.
Chavez began his mediation in August at the request of hostages' families and the French government, which is seeking the release of former Colombian presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, who also has French citizenship.
Source: Xinhua
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