Venezuelan President open to dialogue with EU backed International Contact Group

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday rejected what he called the "partisan and ideological nature" of the statement of the EU-backed International Contact Group on Venezuela although he said he remained open to dialogue.

The group said in a statement on Thursday it would send a technical mission to the country that is mired in political crisis to help provide humanitarian aid and support new elections as soon as possible.

"We do not agree with the content of the document," Maduro said. "We reject the partisan and ideological nature of the document of the contact group." (Reporting by Caracas bureau Editing by Brian Ellsworth)