Caracas willing to begin dialogue with Washington on basis of mutual respect: Venezuelan FM

Against the backdrop of mediation in Norway aimed at resolving the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela, the Foreign Minister of the Latin American country, Jorge Arreaza, on Friday said that Caracas is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States on the "basis of mutual respect."

"The moment is right for diplomacy. The hour is right for diplomacy. We are ready to return to diplomacy and to sitting at the negotiating table and respecting each other," sputnik quoted Arreaza as saying.

"The Venezuelan government is willing to establish a dialogue mechanism with the US administration on the basis of mutual respect," he added.

The development has come following the high-level meeting between the representatives of the European Union and the political leaders of Venezuela, including President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Tensions between the United States and the Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro-led authorities are high since earlier this year when Washington recognised Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the official interim President of the South American nation.

Maduro, in turn, has accused the US of trying to orchestrate a coup in order to install Guaido as its puppet and take over Venezuela's natural resources.

Earlier in the day, a US judge ordered the release of four activists who were detained by US authorities from the premises of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington on Thursday morning.

Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia, Turkey and a number of other countries have voiced their support for Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela.