US ambassador: Ecuador's government is not collaborating with Colombian guerrillas

[Judi Lynn]

US ambassador: Ecuador's government is not collaborating with Colombian guerrillas

July 20, 2008 2:15 PM

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - A U.S. diplomat insists the United States ''in no way'' believes Ecuador's government has ties to leftist Colombian guerrillas.

Outgoing U.S. ambassador to Ecuador Linda Jewell says that the U.S. does not think Ecuador is working with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Latin America's largest armed rebel group.

Jewell's comments appeared Sunday in Guayaquil's El Universo newspaper. Calls to confirm them with the U.S. embassy in Quito went unanswered Sunday.

Colombia bombed a FARC camp in Ecuador on March 1 and found laptops with documents that it claims link Ecuador's president to the rebels - a charge he denies.

Jewell, who leaves her post Tuesday, says Ecuador's government has worked harder than its predecessor to patrol its Colombian border.

http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=565336258994635861

[AlphaCentauri]

1. Valerie Plum?