BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/07/2006

US foes Chavez, Lukashenko meet in Minsk

Venezuela's firebrand anti-US leader Hugo Chavez has met Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko on a visit to a state considered by Washington to be "Europe's last dictatorship."

"Here we feel ourselves to be among our brothers," Chavez said after his arrival at Minsk airport on Sunday at the start of his three-day visit to this hardline former Soviet republic.

"We see here a model social state like the one we are beginning to create," said Chavez, the first Venezuelan leader to visit Belarus.

The visit is being seen mainly as a chance for closer relations between two presidents who have both been slammed by Washington and have a penchant for grand, often anti-US, speeches.

Washington frequently criticises Chavez's democratic credentials and the Venezuelan leader in turn accuses Washington of plotting to invade his country, a major supplier of oil to the United States.

Following Lukashenko's controversial re-election in a landslide victory in March, Washington froze the Belarussian leader's assets and imposed a travel ban on top Belarussian officials.

Lukashenko responded with similar sanctions against US officials.

"There are no doubts that Lukashenko and Chavez will find a common language. Both presidents are charismatic public figures, even though the international community has labelled them dictators," a Belarussian news website, tut.by, said Monday.

"Chavez has already affected almost the whole of Central America and Caribbean states with his anti-Americanism... He will probably find a couple of interesting suggestions for Belarus too," the website said.

The two leaders were also expected to discuss economic and international diplomatic cooperation in the United Nations.

After arriving in the Belarussian capital, Chavez said he wanted greater economic cooperation between Belarus and Venezuela, particularly in the sectors of energy, petrochemicals, machinery, education and science.

Belarus is a major manufacturer of farm machines and trucks, while Venezuela is one of the world's leading oil producers.

Chavez earlier said he was on an international tour to drum up support for Venezuela's bid to gain a seat at the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.

Later Monday, Chavez was set to take part in a World War II commemoration ceremony on Minsk's Victory Square and visit a chain of Soviet-era fortresses outside the Belarussian capital.

The Venezuelan leader is to visit a Belarussian military academy on Tuesday before flying to Russia on the next step of a world tour that will take him to a series of states eyed suspiciously by Washington, including Iran.

In Russia, Chavez will meet President Vladimir Putin and mark a deal under which Russia will supply 30 Su-30 fighter jets and 30 helicopters to Venezuela.

Washington has voiced worries about Russian arms sales to Venezuela, having banned such deals with Caracas for US manufacturers.

Chavez said last month that his visit to Russia could see a deal on building a Kalashnikov assault rifle factory in Venezuela.

Source:

http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=24167

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