Quito, September 16 (teleSUR-RHC)-- The Union of South American Nations (Unasur) Secretary-General Ernesto Samper says he is  confident that dialogue will be able to resolve the diplomatic spat between Venezuela and Colombia over the border crisis.

Responding to the demands of right-wing Colombian sectors asking him to implement measures in favor of Juan Manuel Santos' administration, the Unasur head stated he was elected “by 12 countries and representing 12 countries, which was why in the case of conflict, [he could not] take sides.”

Samper also criticized the idea, raised by the same sectors, that Colombia should withdraw from the regional body. “We renounce our status as South Americans and we become a state of the United States again or we join the African Union? The identity of Colombia is in South America and this is our people, this is our region,” he added.

Samper's declaration comes as a recent survey revealed that 43 percent of Colombians feared the crisis would turn into a war against their neighbor, although Maduro's administration has repeatedly showed its intention to find a peaceful political solution to the conflict.