Ambassador: Venezuela violation an accident

Ambassador: Venezuela violation an accident
By Christopher Toothaker - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday May 21, 2008 6:13:05 EDT

CARACAS, Venezuela — Washington’s top diplomat in Venezuela said Tuesday the United States is taking steps to make sure its counter-drug planes don’t stray into Venezuelan airspace again — but President Hugo Chavez’s government isn’t satisfied.

U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy acknowledged an S-3 Viking flew into Venezuelan airspace during an anti-drug mission over the Caribbean Sea, saying it was an accident due to a navigational error.

But Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro presented Duddy with a protest letter and said after their meeting that he was not satisfied.

“We’ve received responses from the U.S. ambassador that do not please us,” he said, calling the flyover one of many U.S. “provocations.”

The incident could heighten long-standing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_venezuela_s3_052008/