PARIS,  (Reuters) – Latin American heavyweight Brazil  voiced its concern yesterday over a Colombian plan to give the  United States more access to its military bases and said it  hoped a regional meeting today could resolve the issue.

Colombia, a close U.S. ally, has faced strong criticism from  Venezuela’s leftist President Hugo Chavez who has condemned as  “imperialist” aggression the plan to allow the U.S. military to  use bases for drug and counter-insurgency missions.

In turn, Colombia has responded by accusing Chavez of  meddling in its internal affairs and protested to the  Organisation of American States (OAS).

The issue has fuelled concerns throughout the region and  Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said yesterday that  Colombia must address the worries of neighbouring states.  “Of course Brazil respects the sovereign right of Colombia  to sign international accords that it judges are relevant to  ensuring order in its territory,” Amorim told a conference of  France’s ambassadors in Paris.