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US urges diplomacy in Bogota row US urges diplomacy in Bogota row
(about 2 hours later)
The US has urged Colombia and Ecuador to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis sparked when Bogota sent troops over the border to target Farc rebels.The US has urged Colombia and Ecuador to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis sparked when Bogota sent troops over the border to target Farc rebels.
Senior rebel leader Raul Reyes and 16 other militants died in the raid.Senior rebel leader Raul Reyes and 16 other militants died in the raid.
The incident sparked diplomatic fury from Ecuador and Venezuela, which have both moved troops to the border area and expelled Colombian diplomats. As tension grew, Ecuador and Venezuela moved troops to their borders, and Quito reportedly cut diplomatic ties.
The US backed Colombia's right to defend itself and was now urging dialogue, a Washington official said. A top Bogota official meanwhile accused both Ecuador and Venezuela of having ties with the Farc, and said the rebels had tried to buy uranium.
"From our perspective this is an issue between Colombia and Ecuador," added US state department spokesman Tom Casey. National police chief Oscar Naranjo said his information had come from documents found during the raid on the rebel camp in Ecuador.
They said we had a pact with terrorists, and that is completely false - we are dealing with an extremely cynical government Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa
"When they mention negotiations for 50 kilos of uranium, this means that the Farc are taking big steps in the world of terrorism to become a global aggressor. We're not talking of domestic guerrilla but transnational terrorism," said Gen Naranjo.
Other documents showed that Venezuela's President Chavez had provided $300m (£151m) to the Farc, and had received funds from them many years earlier, he said.
And there was also evidence of links between the Farc and representatives of the Ecuadorean government, Gen Naranjo said.
"This unmasks the relations of the Farc with a series of governments, with a series of personalities, some public, some more sinister," Gen Naranjo said.
Reyes was Farc's first secretariat member to be killed in combat Farc 'invincibility' shatteredAnalysis: War talkTies hit all-time low
In the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, senior figures poured scorn on the claims that Mr Chavez had financed the rebels.
"We are accustomed to the lies of the Colombian government," said Vice-President Ramon Carrizalez. "Whatever they say has no importance.
"They can invent anything now to try to get out of that violation of Ecuadorean territory that they committed."
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa angrily denied the suggestion that his administration had links with the rebels.
"They said we had a pact with terrorists, and that is completely false," he said during a cabinet meeting.
"We are dealing with an extremely cynical government."
Both Ecuador and Venezuela withdrew their ambassadors from Bogota in the wake of the incursion. Ecuador announced on Monday that it was severing all diplomatic ties, the Colombian foreign ministry said.
Ecuador was flying troops by helicopter towards the border area on Monday, while President Chavez said he was deploying tanks and troops to Venezuela's own border with Colombia.
Voices urge restraint
As the crisis threatened to deepen, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon added his voice to those calling for restraint.
"The secretary general is concerned about the increased tensions and heightened rhetoric emerging over the weekend involving Colombia and its neighbours, Ecuador and Venezuela," a UN statement said.
Brazil and other regional powers have also urged calm. Spain and a number of Latin American countries have offered to mediate in the dispute.
In Washington, a state department spokesman backed Colombia's right to defend itself and urged dialogue.
"From our perspective this is an issue between Colombia and Ecuador," Tom Casey added.
"I'm not sure what this has to do with Venezuela.""I'm not sure what this has to do with Venezuela."
Colombia's government has received billions of dollars in aid from Washington to fight the Farc.Colombia's government has received billions of dollars in aid from Washington to fight the Farc.
Reyes was Farc's first secretariat member to be killed in combat Farc 'invincibility' shatteredAnalysis: War talkTies hit all-time low
Colombia's foreign minister said he regretted that troops had to cross the border, but said it had been necessary "in the fight against terrorism".Colombia's foreign minister said he regretted that troops had to cross the border, but said it had been necessary "in the fight against terrorism".
"The Colombian government has never wanted to disrespect or violate the sovereignty or integrity of the sister republic of Ecuador," Fernando Araujo said."The Colombian government has never wanted to disrespect or violate the sovereignty or integrity of the sister republic of Ecuador," Fernando Araujo said.
Ecuador was flying troops by helicopter towards the border area on Monday, while Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said tanks and troops were being deployed. Hostage fears
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, who has called for an immediate meeting of the Organization of American States and the Andean Community of Nations, said Colombian forces had flown deep into Ecuador to bomb the rebel camp. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAY Colombia and President Uribe have been fighting a civil war for 40 years, and it's pretty bad. Mr Uribe is trying very hard but these fallouts with other nations are dangerously ignorant and harmful to the region. Alex Dominguez, Milwaukee class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4397">Send us your comments
The rebels were "bombed and massacred as they slept, using precision technology", he said. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner meanwhile said the death of Reyes was "bad news", as he had been France's contact in its efforts to free French-Colombian Farc hostage Ingrid Betancourt.
Colombia says the camp was only about a mile (1.6km) from the border.
President Chavez, who has been mediating with Farc to try to free hostages held by the rebels, called Reyes a "good revolutionary" and called the attack "a cowardly murder, all of it coldly calculated".
He said Colombia had "invaded Ecuador, flagrantly violated Ecuador's sovereignty".
Spain and a number of Latin American countries including Mexico, Argentina and Brazil have offered to mediate in the dispute.
French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner meanwhile said the death of Reyes was "bad news", as he had been France's contact in its efforts to free French-Colombian Farc hostage Ingrid Betancourt.
"It is bad news that the man we were talking to, with whom we had contacts, has been killed," Mr Kouchner said on France Inter radio."It is bad news that the man we were talking to, with whom we had contacts, has been killed," Mr Kouchner said on France Inter radio.
Ms Betancourt has been held for six years and is said to be in very poor health. Ms Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate, has been held for six years and is said to be in very poor health.
Six hostages have been released since Mr Chavez began efforts to win their freedom.Six hostages have been released since Mr Chavez began efforts to win their freedom.
Colombia initially invited him to mediate, but later tried to exclude him from the process.Colombia initially invited him to mediate, but later tried to exclude him from the process.