Maduro: Peace talks with opposition have begun well

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Venezuela's government delegation has returned from Norway "with good news" that its talks with the opposition had a good start, President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday.

"The talks to advance agreements of peace, of amity, of harmony have got off on the right foot," Maduro said at a meeting with soldiers in the central Venezuelan state of Aragua.

The representatives of each side had held talks in Norway this week "for the initiation and exploration of conversations and dialogue with the Venezuelan opposition to build an agenda of peace for the country," according to the president.

Maduro said that he was committed to respecting the rules established in the exploratory meetings. "I believe in peace," he said. "Dialogue, yes; peace, yes; agreement, yes."

Maduro also thanked the Norwegian government for "supporting the entire peace effort" and asked the Venezuelan people to support the dialogue process.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido (1st L) greets a man after attending a meeting with technicians and experts in Caracas, Venezuela, May 16, 2019. /Reuters Photo

Norway's Foreign Ministry said earlier on Friday that the talks were in an "exploratory phase."

The talks in the Nordic country signaled a fresh approach to end months of tensions that escalated after a failed uprising last month led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who called on the military to oust Maduro.

"Norway announces that it has had preliminary contacts with representatives of the main political actors of Venezuela, as part of an exploratory phase," the ministry said in a statement.

Venezuela was thrust into a deep power struggle in January when Guaido, the leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, proclaimed himself "interim president" of Venezuela, arguing Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate.

Opposition lawmaker Stalin Gonzalez and two advisors represented Guaido's side, while Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez and Miranda state governor Hector Rodriguez went to Oslo on behalf of the government.

Each side met separately with Norwegian mediators but there was no meeting between government and opposition representatives, Gonzalez told local media. It was not immediately clear if the mediation would continue.

Speaking to members of the armed forces, Maduro said his representatives "went to Norway to lead Venezuela's delegation at the start of an exploration into a conversation and dialogue with the Venezuelan opposition to build a peaceful agenda for the country."

Guaido was more tepid, tweeting on Thursday that any "mediation initiative" should begin with the "end of the usurpation," a reference to Maduro resigning.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro visits a military training center in El Pao, Venezuela, May 4, 2019. /Reuters Photo

China on Friday welcomed Norway's mediation in facilitating dialogue between Venezuela's government and the opposition.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China maintains that the issue should be solved by Venezuela's government and the opposition within the framework of the constitution through an inclusive political dialogue.

China stands ready to work with all parties to maintain coordination and play a conducive role to peace and talks, so as to find a peaceful solution to the Venezuela issue to safeguard international justice as well as peace and stability in Venezuela and the region, he added.

(Cover: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures next to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, during a ceremony at a military base in Maracay, Venezuela, May 17, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency