US welcomes Venezuela’s move to exchange envoys

WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) -- The United States welcomed on Monday Venezuela's move to restore full diplomatic ties between the two countries by returning its ambassador to Washington.

"We're looking at it. We think it's a positive idea," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.

During last weekend's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expressed his wish to return his country's ambassador. In September, Chavez expelled the top US envoy in Caracas, prompting a tit-for-tat move from Washington.

Chavez -- who was meeting US President Barack Obama for the first time at the summit -- said he hoped to begin a "new era" in relations between the two countries, which have often feuded over Washington's role in Latin America.

Robert Gibbs. AFP PHOTO

Obama's spokesman Robert Gibbs on Monday heralded progress toward normalizing ties.

"Look at what we got just simply out of this weekend. Two years ago, Hugo Chavez (...) wanted nothing to do with being a responsible part of a community of nations. Now engaging in the world, the Venezuelans have, as I understand it, put names forward to put an ambassador back in place here."

At the top of that list of names is Roy Chaderton, a former Venezuelan foreign minister.

"Dialogue is what we believe is important. And we will see how things go with regard to President Chavez' suggestion that we exchange ambassadors," said Wood.