Venezuela protests alleged US plane incursion

[May 20, 2008]  CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuela wants the U.S. ambassador to explain a violation of its airspace by a U.S. Navy plane, the country's foreign minister said Monday.

The U.S. Navy plane was detected in Venezuelan airspace Saturday night near the Caribbean island of La Orchila, and questioned by the Caracas airport control tower, Defense Minister Gen. Gustavo Rangel Briceno said.

The Navy S-3 Viking, used for counter-narcotics missions, may have accidentally crossed into Venezuela's airspace while experiencing "intermittent navigational problems" on a training mission in international airspace, a U.S. defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the issue's sensitivity.

The Navy crew on the plane, which is based in Curacao, had some language problems during the three-minute radio conversation, the official said.

"They promptly responded and identified themselves as U.S. Navy, on a training mission in international airspace, and that a navigational error had possibly occurred," the official said.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. respects Venezuelan sovereignty.

But Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy will nevertheless be called in for talks, and "we will ask for an explanation." Venezuela believes the flyover was deliberate, Rangel said.

The incident could aggravate tensions between the U.S. and its fifth-largest oil supplier. President Hugo Chavez has repeatedly accused Washington of plotting an invasion and trying to destabilize his government, despite U.S. denials.

Maduro also alleged that Colombia's U.S.-allied government, as a "provocation," sent 60 troops about 875 yards across the nation's shared border on Friday. Colombia's defense minister denied any incursion.

Venezuelan Gen. Jesus Gonzalez said a group of Colombian troops again crossed the border on Monday in the same general area of Apure state. The matter was resolved when they left at the request of Venezuelan troops, he said.

[Associated Press; By FABIOLA SANCHEZ]

Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report from Washington.

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