- Title: COLOMBIA: Israeli Foreign Minister wraps up Latin American tour
- Date: 29th July 2009
- Summary: POLICE GUARDING THE FOREIGN MINISTRY ENTRANCE ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN AND COLOMBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JAIME BERMUDEZ GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE SECURITY OFFICIAL WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER, AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN, SAYING: "President Hugo Chavez, very famous for his mishaps, and for his very strange, strange language regar
- Embargoed: 13th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Colombia
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA38EXWQDFWS1ZCCOO5BLR3277P
- Story Text: Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman wrapped up his Latin American tour in Colombia on Tuesday (July 28), pledging not to involve Israel in ongoing disputes between Colombia and Venezuela.
Lieberman was on a 10-day tour of Latin American countries in what the Israeli foreign ministry says is a trip to counter Iran's growing influence in the region.
On Tuesday, he met with Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez. In a news conference following the meeting, he responded to a question about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's recent characterization of Colombia as the Israel of South America.
"President Hugo Chavez, very famous for his mishaps, and for his very strange, strange language regarding Israel and many other countries in the international community. We have enough problems in our region and we think that the problems of South America are problems of these countries and South America. And we don't have any intention to interfere in these problems in South America," he said.
Meanwhile, Bermudez said Colombia can identify with some of the struggles faced by Israel and pledged solidarity with Lieberman's country.
"Colombia has personally suffered the drama, the pain, the suffering of the drug trafficking business, the suffering and drama of terrorism and we know what that implies and we are determined to completely overcome this issue. We also support the Israeli government, the people from Israel in their fight and we express all our solidarity with the people who are suffering and who want to overcome this pain," he said.
Colombia was Lieberman's final stop on a tour that included Brazil, Argentina and Peru. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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