OAS-led government-opposition talks suspended until February 26

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, February 20, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Talks being facilitated by Organization of American States (OAS) secretary general Cesar Gaviria have been suspended for a few days and are expected to resume on February 26. 

The talks which have been continuing for over 100 days and which finally this week produced their first agreement, a rejection of violence, were reportedly suspended following a request from government negotiators. 

The reasons for the suspension are unclear, but the OAS secretary general is understood to have several other commitments early next week as he heads to Washington for OAS meetings and to Spain for a meeting of the Montevideo Group. 

Despite the signing of the agreement, tensions in Venezuela remain high following the discovery of three soldiers who had apparently been bound, gagged and tortured before being shot and killed.