The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Santo Domingo

The presidents of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela agreed Friday to resolve their angry recriminations over a cross-border Colombian commando raid, a crisis that has brought troop movements and talk of war.

The uneasy neighbors joined in a declaration noting that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe apologized for the last weekend's attack on a Colombian rebel base in Ecuadorean territory and that he pledged not to violate another nation's sovereignty again. The declaration signed by presidents of the 20-nation Rio Group also reiterated a commitment to fight threats to national stability posed by "irregular or criminal groups." Their emergency summit was an hours-long passion play, with finger-jabbing lectures, furious speeches and pleas for goodwill. The dramatic high point came when the host, Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, urged Uribe to shake hands with his antagonists to show his goodwill