Bogota  - Conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Tuesday that he would seek a third term in office if a referendum on presidential re-elections was approved.

In a meeting with members of the ruling party, Uribe said he was keen to remain in power if a referendum allowing him a third presidential term was held.

A year before the end of his second mandate, Uribe has proposed a bill to Congress that calls for a referendum to change the constitution to allow him a third consecutive term.

Uribe has done this before, as the Colombian constitution did not allow consecutive presidential terms when he took office in 2002.

But the bill is stuck in the House of Representatives and Uribe asked lawmakers to speed up the process. (dpa)