MEXICO CITY/BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th May, 2019) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that another round of negotiations with the opposition concluded in the Norwegian capital on Wednesday, noting that secret talks have been actually underway for a couple of months.
On Wednesday, Oslo announced that it had hosted another round of talks between the Venezuelan government and opposition. The Norwegian government said that "the parties have demonstrated their willingness to move forward in the search for an agreed-upon and constitutional solution for the country, which includes political, economic and electoral matters." Oslo also urged them to "show their utmost caution in their comments and statements regarding the process."
"[On] May 29, the second day of dialogue with the opposition ended in Norway. Minister [for Communication and Information] Jorge Rodriguez, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and [Miranda state] Governor Hector Rodriguez were present there," Maduro said late on Wednesday, as quoted by his press service.
The president pointed out that he considered the dialogue with the opposition to be constructive, adding that the covert talks were underway for quite a while.
"I appointed a delegation, we have been secretly negotiating for two or three months, and now we have sat [at the negotiating table] in Norway. I want a peace agreement for Venezuela. I ask for support from the country, Chavism and the motherland ... Our path is a dialogue, respect for the constitution, peace, democracy, development and problem-solving," Maduro said.
The communication center for the opposition-run Venezuelan National Assembly speaker, Juan Guaido, meanwhile, said that "the meeting ended without agreements."
"We are grateful to the government of Norway for their will to help resolve the chaos which is gripping the country. We are ready to continue [to work] with them," the center added in a statement.
Venezuela has been suffering from a severe political crisis since late January, when US-backed Guaido illegally proclaimed himself interim president in a bid to oust Maduro from power, challenging his re-election last year.
Dozens of countries around the world have endorsed Guaido, and called on Maduro to step down and for a new election to be organized. China, Bolivia, Russia, Turkey and numerous others have, in turn, voiced their support for Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president.
The first round of consultations between the sides of the Venezuelan political conflict was held in the Norwegian capital on May 16.
