CARACAS, September 18. /TASS/: The Venezuelan government is ready to engage in a new round of Norway-mediated talks with the opposition at any moment, the country’s President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday.
"When Norway would want to invite us to a new meeting to revew the clauses that we had discussed with them and the opposition, we will give our consent regardless of when, where and how the meeting will be held," Maduro said in a speech aired via Twitter.
According to Maduro, the Norwegian delegation that visited Venezuela on September 14-16, met with envoys from both sides.
"We’ll see what proposals will be made," Maduro said. "For the sake of peace in Venezuela, I’m ready to negotiate even with the Devil."
In May, at least two rounds of indirect talks between the Venezuelan government and opposition took place in Oslo, organized with the support of Norway. The new stage of dialogue began in Barbados on July 8. Maduro stated that the talks were fruitful.
In August, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza informed that the Venezuelan government decided to suspend the talks with the opposition, not refusing to hold them in the future, citing "dangerous and blatant aggression" from the side of the US government, namely another wave of sanctions introduced by Washington.
On Monday, Venezuelan Information and Communications Minister Jorge Rodgriguez said the government of Venezuela and some of the opposition members agreed to set up the National Roundtable for Peaceful Dialogue - a permanent body, within the framework of which the opponents would engage in discussions on a broad range of issues. The minister also said the sides agreed to convoke a new Central Election Commission, release political prisoners and resume the pro-presidential party’s work in the country’s unicameral opposition-controlled parliament. Opposition leader Juan Guaido did not take part in the signing.
