Al Hilal exit Club World Cup after narrow defeat to Fluminense    Saudi leadership congratulates President Trump on U.S. Independence Day    Saudi Arabia tops global ICT Development Index for 2025    Hamas says it is consulting other Palestinian groups on Gaza ceasefire plan    Germany seeks agreement with Taliban to take back convicted Afghan migrants    Saudi Crown Prince, Abu Dhabi deputy ruler discuss regional stability, strategic ties in Jeddah    Hotel occupancy in Saudi Arabia rises to 63% as tourism workforce tops 983,000 in Q1 2025    Saudi e-commerce sales jump to SR69 billion during 1Q 2025    German Chancellor calls Saudi Crown Prince to discuss regional developments    SFDA to penalize 996 erring establishments    'Morally repugnant': US Cardinal hits out at Trump's immigration policy    At 90, the Dalai Lama braces for final showdown with Beijing Reincarnation    Alkhorayef Commercial Company partners with XSQUARE Technologies to elevate logistics automation in Saudi Arabia    Portugal and Liverpool FC winger Diogo Jota dies in car accident in Spain    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    Al Hilal sign Abderrazak Hamdallah on loan for Club World Cup push    Lacazette joins NEOM SC as Saudi Pro League newcomers boost attack with French star    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    Michelin Guide launches in Saudi Arabia with phased rollout in 2025    'How fragile we are': Roskilde Festival tragedy remembered 25 years on    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



US, Colombia sign pact to expand US use of bases
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 30 - 10 - 2009

In a private, low-key ceremony, the U.S. ambassador and three Colombian ministers today signed a pact to expand Washington"s military"s presence, a deal that Venezuela"s Hugo Chavez has called a threat to the region"s security, according to AP.
U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield signed along with Colombia"s foreign, justice and defense ministers at the Foreign Ministry in Bogota, said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Ana Duque.
Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez said that the pact restricts U.S. military operations to Colombian territory _ alluding to fears expressed by leftist leaders in the region that the deal would make Colombia a base for asserting U.S. power in South America.
Although details were not immediately released, a government communique said the pact «respects the principles of equal sovereignty, territorial integrity and nonintervention in the internal affairs of other states.»
Officials have said it would increase U.S. access to seven Colombian bases for 10 years without boosting the number of service personnel and contractors beyond the cap of 1,400 specified by U.S. law.
U.S. counter-drug flights that previously operated out of Manta, Ecuador, would be based at the Palanquero base in the central Magdalena valley and Navy port calls would be more frequent.
«We are not bringing U.S. soldiers to Colombia for combat,» Bermudez told reporters. «We"re not going to see an unusual number of U.S. military personnel, nor U.S. planes in excess. What we"re going to see is what we"ve always seen.»
The top U.S. Defense Department official for Latin America, Frank Mora, told The Associated Press in August there would be no «U.S. offensive capacity» such as fighter jets from any of the bases. However, U.S. construction is planned at Palanquero to expand facilities.


Clic here to read the story from its source.