Colombian and Venezuelan leaders on Saturday hailed the settlement of the diplomatic crisis aroused by the capture of a Colombian rebel leader, saying the impasse was solved in a positive way.  

"The positive way in which the impasse was solved between both countries shows that we have the capacity to solve difficult situations in the best way possible," Venezuela's Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said.

On the Colombian side, President Alvaro Uribe hailed the settlement as "a good opportunity to continue with bilateral infrastructure and social projects to build prosperous nations."

Uribe said he will hold a meeting on February 3 in Caracas with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, "in order to listen to President Chavez and propose to him some reflections."

Bilateral relations soured after the alleged arrest of Rodrigo Granda, foreign relations chief of Colombia's rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, in December by Colombian law-enforcement personnel.

Venezuela accused Colombia of abducting Granda on the Venezuelan soil, while Colombia insisted the capture took place within its borders.

President Chavez recalled Venezuela's ambassador from Bogota and froze diplomatic and commercial relations with Colombia and demanded a public apology from Colombia.

After six weeks of standoff, the two governments announced on Friday that they had patched up their relationship.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2005)