Ecuador worried by Cordoba dismissal

[Judi Lynn]

Ecuador worried by Cordoba dismissal
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 07:27 Manuela Kuehr

Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño on Wednesday expressed concern over the dismissal of Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba for allegedly collaborating with the FARC.

The Colombian senator has been disqualified from public office for 18 years by in a ruling from the inspector general.

"This news worries us, but I must and will not comment on the verdict of a Colombian agency that has the authority and the capacity to make such decisions," Patiño said.

The minister said that the Ecuadorean government respects Colombia's "judicial decisions," and expects to see the situation resolved.

"It is a delicate matter and we are awaiting more information, because Piedad Cordoba is a lady who is well known on the international level," said Patiño.

The Colombian inspector general Alejandro Ordoñez said that the former senator "performed acts of promotion in order to favor the interests of this subversive group."

Cordoba denied the accusations of "FARC-politics," and said that all her contact with the guerrillas were authorized by the government.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/12098-ecuador-sanctions-cordoba-farc-politics.html