Venezuela on Thursday reversed a decision to expel the EU's ambassador, and Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza said the two sides agreed to promote diplomatic contact "at the highest level."

The two parties issued a joint communique after Arreaza spoke by phone with the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.

The statement said earlier that "the Venezuelan government decided to nullify the decision" to expel the ambassador.

President Nicolas Maduro on Monday gave the EU's Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa 72 hours to leave the country in response to European sanctions against 11 Venezuelans.

The Venezuelan president said he had decided to pull back from expelling the Portuguese diplomat after what he described as a "tense" conversation between Arreaza and Borrell.

"I told Foreign Minister Arreaza: Let me think about it, I think it's a good idea to give a chance, as John Lennon said... to dialogue, to diplomacy, to communication and to a new understanding with the European Union," Maduro said during a speech at a military event in Caracas.

Maintain diplomatic relations

In an interview with Caracas-based news network Telesur, Arreaza said he held a "very frank, very sincere and at the same time very cordial" conversation with Borrell on Wednesday.

During their conversation, the two sides pledged to maintain "constant and permanent communication," as expressed in the joint communique, said Arreaza.

According to the communique, the two parties "agreed on the need to maintain the framework of diplomatic relations, especially at times when cooperation between both parties can facilitate the path of political dialogue."

"They both agreed to promote diplomatic contacts between the parties at the highest level, within the framework of sincere cooperation and respect for international law," it added.

Arreaza said the joint communique "is a clear sign of recognition, in diplomatic terms," of the government. 

(With input from wires)