Venezuelan president refuses to comment about Obama encounter

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that he will divulge nothing about his brief encounter with US President Barack Obama in the Seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama, after rumours broke out that the conversation brought him "to his knees".

"They have started saying things, making it seem like I was on my knees... I could tell everything, the conditions in which the meeting took place... I will utter nothing, so you act however you see fit, imperialists of the North," said Maduro during his radio and television programme "En Contacto con Maduro" (In contact with Maduro).

Diplomatic relations "are not an improvisation", he added, expressing that he respected the State Department and White House officials, and would say nothing to tarnish the bilateral rapport, Spanish news agency Efe reported on Wednesday.

During the Panama summit, the Venezuelan president proposed the basis to "begin a new era of relations that are respectful, peaceful and of mutual convenience", with the US.

Maduro also asked the US to recognise Venezuela's sovereignty, and repeal Obama's March decree that declared Venezuela a threat to its national security and imposed sanctions on several high ranking officials.

The currently tacit Maduro had said on Saturday he would release information about his 10-minute exchange with Obama, which he characterised as "serious" and "frank".

US officials had previously confirmed to Efe that, in the casual meeting, Obama had wished for "a peaceful dialogue among different (Venezuelan) political factions", and reiterated that the US was not interested "in threatening Venezuela, but in supporting democracy, stability and prosperity in Venezuela and the region".