Argentina wins U.S. praise for mediation in Colombia-Venezuela rift

BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Argentina has won glowing praise from the U.S. administration for its role in bringing Colombia and Venezuela together in a reconciliation that led to the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two countries after a 19-day break.

Accolades for Argentina came when U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Hector Timerman in Washington.

Buenos Aires got the credit not so much for high-level diplomacy by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as for the role played by her husband Nestor Kirchner, current head of the South American Nations Union and a former Argentine president.

Nestor Kirchner and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arranged the summit meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, where Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez shook hands on normalizing relations.

The positive outcome of the summit, however, was soured by a car bomb in Colombian capital Bogota Thursday, which analysts saw as a challenge to Santos from FARC armed guerrilla group fighting the government.

Santos promised a tough line against the militants when he took over this month. More recently, the summit raised the possibility that FARC might lose supporters in Venezuela earlier seen as an arms link for the guerrilla group.

FARC operates from shared jungle territory on the border and is seen behind "narcoterrorism" and drug trafficking to Central and North America.

Before Thursday's security setback, the Santos-Chavez patch-up was seen as a major breakthrough in relations between pro-U.S. Colombia and populist and left-wing Venezuela, which appeared to be easing its hostility toward Bogota.

Clinton said she hoped the gesture by Santos and the prompt and positive reply of Chavez would led to a long-term consolidation of relations between the two countries.

Timerman cited "the important role that Argentina is playing as mediator between regional countries."

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington Clinton and Timerman had an "excellent regional discussion" following which U.S. officials pursued talks with Latin American diplomats to encourage speedy normalization.

He said the U.S. administration would continue conversations with Colombian and Venezuelan diplomats "to encourage them both to continue to resolve their differences peacefully."

In the meantime, the U.S. administration has been embroiled in a row generated by Venezuela's refusal to accept the new American ambassador to Caracas.

Ambassador-designate Larry Palmer was nominated by the Obama administration in June but Chavez rejected him due to remarks Palmer made that Chavez thought critical of Venezuela.

The State Department said earlier this week the administration was standing by Palmer despite opposition from Chavez.