Peacemaking at Rio Summit

[NewsWhore]

Hoy is quoting unnamed sources that claim that during today's meetings, heads of state at the XX Rio Summit will discuss the recent tensions between Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso says that President Leonel Fernandez has spoken to the Colombian and Venezuelan presidents and is confident that both will act responsibly. He added that Fernandez has spoken to leaders of the South American neighbors with a view to helping reach a solution to the tensions. Aside from trying to mediate South American troubles, coordinators have released the rough draft of the Santo Domingo Declaration, covering the topics of discussion for the Summit. These include energy, natural disasters and development. According to vice Foreign Relations Minister Jose Manuel Trullols, coordinators met over a two-day period, in closed sessions, in order to draw up the Summit agenda. He explained that once the coordinators had selected the topics, foreign ministers had to give their approval. These topics will be presented to the leaders tomorrow. It is expected that 14 of the 19 heads of state of the Rio Group countries, and two prime ministers, will be attending the Summit. El Caribe reports that the Foreign Ministers will hold an initial meeting in the Ministry's Green Room at 9:30 today. The Summit will begin three hours later. Today's work will finish at 5pm followed by a special dinner for the heads of state at the Presidential Palace at 8:30pm. On Friday, the heads of state will meet at 9am and the official Summit photo is scheduled for 9:30am. President Leonel Fernandez will make the inauguration speech followed by an address by Guyanese President Bharat Jagdeo. Then at 4pm President Leonel will hand over the Pro Tempore Rio Group Ministry to Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

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