Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that his country and Colombia decided to turn a new page by leaving behind the diplomatic crisis originated by the capture of a Colombian rebel leader.

"We have decided to turn the page in order to work together," said Chavez at a press conference after meeting with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who arrived in Caracas Tuesday morning.

Describing the meeting as constructive, Chavez also announced a full resumption of commercial trade between the two and declared his commitment to fighting terrorism of any kind.

The two leaders' meeting came after weeks of tensions over the controversial December capture of Rodrigo Granda, leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in Caracas by Colombian agents.

The capture, which Chavez branded a violation of Venezuela's sovereignty while Colombians said it demonstrated Venezuela's support for the FARC, sparked the biggest crisis in bilateral relations in the past decade.

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2005)