QUITO, March 3 (Reuters) - A top Ecuadorean minister accused by Colombia of having links to Marxist guerrillas said on Monday he met a top Colombian rebel leader but only as part of an international mission to free guerrilla hostages.

FARC commander Raul Reyes was killed by a Colombian raid on a camp inside Ecuadorean territory in an operation that has sparked a regional dispute involving Andean neighbors Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia.

Security Minister Gustavo Larrea said he met Reyes in a mission to release hostages held by the guerrillas in jungle camps. But Larrea said he never sought agreements with the FARC and had warned rebels not to enter Ecuadorean territory.

(Reporting by Alonso Soto; Editing by Bill Trott)

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