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BOGOTA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chief of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, has urged Colombia and Venezuela to have direct dialogue to sort out their differences over border clashes.
"Direct dialogue between the parties is the fundamental instrument for resolving this issue," Almagro told Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Monday.
Venezuela closed an important border crossing in the state of Tachira, declared a state of emergency in several western cities and deported some 1,000 Colombians living illegally in the country.
The dramatic action was in response to the shooting of three Venezuelan army officers by gunmen, whom Venezuela claimed belonged to Colombian paramilitary gangs.
Almagro said that he had discussed the issue with Santos and that the Colombian president showed willingness to solve the issues through dialogues and diplomatic channels.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry on Sunday called on Venezuela to respect the rights of the Colombians detained under the state of emergency in five bordering municipalities of Tachira.
