Venezuela’s Chavez Visits Russia, Belarus

Venezuela’s Chavez Visits Russia, Belarus
Created: 24.07.2006 11:47 MSK (GMT )


MosNews


Venezuela’s anti-U.S. leader Hugo Chavez began a major international tour on Sunday with a visit to the isolated former Soviet nation of Belarus, whose authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is dubbed ’’Europe’s last dictator’’ by Washington, AP reports.

Chavez, a leftist former army lieutenant colonel who accuses the United States of seeking to invade his oil-rich South American nation, is also to go to Russia, a key arms supplier, Qatar, Iran, Vietnam and Mali.

A Belorussian spokesman said that seven deals would be signed with Venezuela, including military-technical, trade and economic ties. Bilateral trade was about $16 million in 2005.

In Moscow, where Chavez is expected today, the highlight will be a signing ceremony for a series of Russian weapons contracts

[link to www.mosnews.com]

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VENEZUELA: More nations back bid for UN seat

Kerryn Williams

Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez condemned Israel’s bombing of Lebanon, commenting that “They are bombing entire cities, it is a true genocide. Where will this madness end?”, according to a July 21 VHeadline.com report. He also slammed the US for using its UN Security Council veto to override a UN motion calling on Israel to halt its offensive against Gaza.

Venezuela is currently pushing for a non-permanent seat on the Security council. In a July 16 media release condemning Israel’s brutal attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, Venezuela’s foreign affairs ministry explained that it was seeking the seat to push for the democratisation of the UN in order to counter the “hegemony” of the US within the organisation.

The July 7 Trinidad and Tobago Express reported that the 15-member Carribean Community (Caricom) decided at its 27th summit, which concluded on July 6, to back Venezuela’s bid.

The seat, which will be vacated in October when Argentina’s two-year term expires, is also being contested by Guatemala, which is strongly backed by the US.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez confirmed support for Venezuela’s bid from the Arab League at the second Arab-South American Summit in Caracas on July 17-18. The summit also confirmed Venezuela’s entry into the Arab League as an observer


From Green Left Weekly, July 26, 2006.

[link to www.greenleft.org.au]