Norway calls for a mechanism to monitor Barbados' agreements with Venezuela

(CNN Spanish) — Norway's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that its Foreign Secretary Andreas Motsfeld Kravik, who visited Venezuela on April 2 and 3, requested a follow-up mechanism to the Barbados agreements signed in October.

The report indicates that during his visit to Venezuela, Motzfeldt Kravik held meetings with Foreign Minister Yván Gil, representatives of opposition parties, leaders of negotiations for the parties, Jorge Rodríguez and Gerardo Blyde, and members of civil society.

“It is important for the parties to implement what they have agreed and get the broad support of the international community. During my conversations with the parties, I particularly emphasized efforts to establish a Monitoring and Verification Commission of the Barbados Treaty. In the future, it will also be important to find creative solutions to outstanding issues,” Gravik said.

Norway has been assisting in negotiations between Nicolás Maduro's government and representatives of the Platform for Democratic Unity (PUD).

Through the Barbados Agreement signed in October, the United States suspended some economic sanctions on Venezuela for six months in order for Maduro's government to respect the political rights of its opponents.

Opposition member María Corina Machado is ineligible to run and Corina Yoris, the presidential candidate for the PUD, is also unable to register in the electoral register.

“Norway supports a negotiated settlement in Venezuela for the well-being of its people. The negotiations are consistent with the Venezuelan parties and they must decide the path to follow,” said Foreign Secretary Andreas Motsfeld Gravik.

CNN is seeking reaction from the Venezuelan government and PUD representatives to the Norwegian government's statement.