Ecuador puts off Colombian ties

Mr Correa "indefinitely cancelled" re-establishing ties with Colombia

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has said he will not restore diplomatic ties with Colombia until its president, Alvaro Uribe, leaves office in 2010.

It is the latest diplomatic salvo between the two countries since they broke off relations in March following a Colombian raid into Ecuador.

Colombian planes bombed a Farc camp near the border, killing 17 rebels, sparking a regional crisis.

The two countries had agreed to restore ties at a low level earlier this month.

But on Tuesday, Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said the rapprochement would be postponed because of "aggressive statements" from Rafael Correa.

"We have decided to postpone this rapprochement in the hope that the attitude of the government of Ecuador, and especially that of President Correa, becomes a friendly one," Mr Araujo said.

Uribe isolation

On Wednesday Mr Correa responded:

"We are indefinitely cancelling any re-establishment of relations until there is a decent government with which to deal."

Ecuador and Venezuela both sent troops to their borders with Colombia following the 1 March raid on a Colombian rebel camp inside Ecuador's border.

President Uribe said computers seized at the camp showed that Ecuador was supporting the Farc rebels.

Colombia has become increasingly isolated in the region and dependent on its alliance with the United States, says the BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Bogota.