Washington - The United States and Venezuela have agreed to
restore ambassadors who were expelled during a diplomatic rift last
year, the US State Department said Wednesday.
State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said there was no timeframe
for returning ambassadors to Washington and Caracas following the
agreement, which came about through discussions on Monday between
both countries.
'We are currently taking the necessary measures to accomplish this
goal, and we think that exchanging ambassadors is in the best
interests of both countries,' Kelly said.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered the US ambassador out of
the country in September in a demonstration of solidarity with
Bolivian President Evo Morales, who had expelled the US ambassador
there after accusing him of siding with a separatist movement.
Washington retaliated by ordering the ambassadors from both
countries to leave, marking a low point in US-Venezuelan relations,
which had been on a downhill slope for years.
President Barack Obama has sought to improve ties with Latin
America and exchanged brief greetings with Chavez in April at the
Summit of the Americas.
Chavez has been among the sharpest critics of the United States
but has toned down his rhetoric since Obama, who is much more popular
in Latin America than predecessor George W Bush, took office. Despite
differences, the United States remains the largest importer of
Venezuelan oil.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chavez began
discussing the idea of returning ambassadors on the sidelines of the
Summit of the Americas.
USA
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