Caracas, Venezuela – Diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving Venezuela’s crisis accelerated on Thursday as the government and opposition sent envoys to negotiate in Norway, though…
Caracas, Venezuela – Diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving Venezuela’s crisis accelerated on Thursday as the government and opposition sent envoys to negotiate in Norway, though the two sides’ mutual mistrust and differences on key issues could prevent any quick solution.
The envoys’ trip appeared to be primarily a mediation attempt by Norway aimed at reducing tensions that exploded into street violence when the opposition called in vain for a military uprising on April 30.
It comes amid other diplomatic efforts elsewhere: A mostly European group of nations prepared to send a high-level delegation to Venezuela, and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland was meeting Thursday with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez in Havana.
Norway has hosted a series of secret peace talks over the years. They include the negotiations of September 1993 between Israelis and Palestinians, talks between the Philippines government and Maoist rebels in 2011, and the brokering of a 2002 cease-fire between Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebel negotiators. Seven years ago, negotiators from the Colombian government and left-wing FARC rebels held their first direct talks in a decade in Norway.
Per Wiggen, an official from Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did not confirm planned talks in Oslo, though Norway has urged the two sides to talk since February.
