Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos praised his country’s relationship with Ecuador during a visit of his Ecuadorean counterpart, Rafael Correa, to the border region on Monday.
Santos specifically was positive about Correa’s support for ongoing peace talks with the country’s largest and oldest-living rebel group, the FARC.
“Ever since the beginning he has been very interested and has manifested his willingness and permanent support for this process which he himself defines as important not just for Colombia but the entire region,” Santos said at the beginning of the border summit in the Colombian border town of Ipiales.
Ecuador’s support for the peace talks has been “specially important” because of the country’s position as direct neighbor, said Santos.
But also beyond the peace talks, the two countries are going through a peek in their bilateral relations, according to Santos.
“Ecuador and Colombia .. at this moment are more brotherly than ever,” said Santos.
In terms of border security, “we have been cooperating more and more with also very important results,” said the Colombian head of state, adding that. “on the social front, that of electric interconnecting, on the commercial and economic front, in all we can say there have been important, synergy-creating results.”
Correa expressed similar praise about Santos’ administration and his efforts to negotiate peace with the FARC.
“If we want to develop our people with peace and equality, we need to reach this peace,” Correa said.