José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Prime-Minister of Spain, offered Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Spain’s assistance in promoting a dialogue between Colombia and Venezuela, who have frozen diplomatic relations since July.
President Zapatero made the offer to President Chavez at a meeting in Madrid following the end of the Venezuelan leader’s diplomatic tour of several ally countries including Russia, Libya, Syria, Iran and Belarus.
The Spanish government issued a statement in which they reiterated Zapatero’s willingness to “collaborate with anything asked of Spain to [facilitate] the dialogue between Colombia and Venezuela.”
Chavez froze relations with Alvaro Uribe’s government on 28 July in protest over Colombia’s allowing the United States use of military bases within the country.