Bogota (dpa) - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and US Republican presidential candidate John McCain discussed the South American country's relations with its neighbours, Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said Wednesday.

McCain met with Uribe and with Araujo late Tuesday, during a visit to the Colombian Caribbean city of Cartagena de Indias, which was set to conclude Wednesday.

"We have talked about Colombia's relations with Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Bolivia, with all countries, and we have explained to him what is the situation in international relations at the regional level," Araujo said.

Uribe and the Republican candidate met for close to two hours on Tuesday and also discussed the US free trade agreement between the US and Colombia - that is being held up by the Democrat-controlled Congress and which McCain supports - and the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism, among other issues.

"I do not think (McCain's visit) is a message for other countries. It is a message about the commitment that Senator McCain has with the battles Colombians are fighting, with the government's commitment, to democratic security, with the fight against drugs," Araujo said.

"It is a message to support Colombia and to support the programmes that President Uribe has been applying," the minister said.

On Wednesday, McCain met with businessmen in the company of Araujo. The Republican decorated several Marines injured in combat at the Naval Hospital in Cartagena.

In a press conference late Tuesday, McCain highlighted Uribe's efforts to combat drug trafficking, terrorism and illegal armed groups.

He further asked the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to release the people they hold hostage, particularly three US contractors held since 2003.

McCain was set to leave Colombia later Wednesday, for Mexico City. dpa fp vs mf