Venezuela, US consider renewing anti-drug cooperation despite rocky relations

The United States and Venezuela may renew anti-drug cooperation that has been stalled for three years amid deteriorating relations, top officials from both nations said Thursday. Venezuela's foreign minister said the country is willing to work with Washington against drug trafficking as long as U.S. officials express the mutual respect necessary for bilateral relations. "We will advance when that is understood by the U.S. government," Nicolas Maduro told reporters. "Meanwhile, conversations will continue." The Bush administration is eager to resume those joint counter-narcotics efforts, said Thomas Shannon, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America. "We would like to explore this diplomatic opening," Shannon said in Washington. "Cooperation in the counter-drug fight would be familiar ground for both governments and would be... [read full story]