Chavez promotes closer Africa-S America ties
Saturday, 26 September 2009
CARACAS, Sept 25 (AP): President Hugo Chavez says Libya's Moammar Gadhafi is more than welcome to pitch his tent in Venezuela as the two of them make a diplomatic push for closer ties between Africa and South America at a weekend summit.
The Libyan leader caused an uproar in the New York City suburbs over his insistence on putting up a tent this week while attending the UN General Assembly meeting. But in Venezuela, Chavez says it's perfectly fine and that Gadhafi "travels with the tent."
The two-day summit starting Saturday on Venezuela's Margarita Island gives Chavez an opportunity to strengthen a growing web of "South-South" alliances and attempt a greater leadership role while critiquing US influence internationally.
Nine South American presidents and more than 20 African leaders are expected to attend, ranging from Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe to Bolivia's Evo Morales.
Chavez is particularly close to Gadhafi, whom he calls a "brilliant" revolutionary, and attended anniversary celebrations in Libya marking Gadhafi's 40-year rule earlier this month. Chavez has praised Gadhafi as a "tireless gladiator" in pressing for African unity - and said the two continents should now take that a step further.
Gadhafi made waves at the UN General Assembly this week when he chastised the world body, calling the Security Council the "Terror Council" for failing to prevent dozens of wars.
Strong criticisms of the UN, the US and other world powers will likely be voiced at the summit in Venezuela. Chavez will also probably use the meeting to argue that Africa's poverty shows the failures of the capitalist system, and to promote a host of efforts to open up political and economic channels between the regions.
"We want to link up with Africa," the president told a news conference at the United Nations Thursday. He said the summit will focus on efforts to "unite both continents."
Adam Isacson, a Latin America expert at the Washington-based Center for International Policy, says even controversial African leaders such as Gadhafi and Mugabe represent an opportunity for Chavez.
The Libyan leader caused an uproar in the New York City suburbs over his insistence on putting up a tent this week while attending the UN General Assembly meeting. But in Venezuela, Chavez says it's perfectly fine and that Gadhafi "travels with the tent."
The two-day summit starting Saturday on Venezuela's Margarita Island gives Chavez an opportunity to strengthen a growing web of "South-South" alliances and attempt a greater leadership role while critiquing US influence internationally.
Nine South American presidents and more than 20 African leaders are expected to attend, ranging from Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe to Bolivia's Evo Morales.
Chavez is particularly close to Gadhafi, whom he calls a "brilliant" revolutionary, and attended anniversary celebrations in Libya marking Gadhafi's 40-year rule earlier this month. Chavez has praised Gadhafi as a "tireless gladiator" in pressing for African unity - and said the two continents should now take that a step further.
Gadhafi made waves at the UN General Assembly this week when he chastised the world body, calling the Security Council the "Terror Council" for failing to prevent dozens of wars.
Strong criticisms of the UN, the US and other world powers will likely be voiced at the summit in Venezuela. Chavez will also probably use the meeting to argue that Africa's poverty shows the failures of the capitalist system, and to promote a host of efforts to open up political and economic channels between the regions.
"We want to link up with Africa," the president told a news conference at the United Nations Thursday. He said the summit will focus on efforts to "unite both continents."
Adam Isacson, a Latin America expert at the Washington-based Center for International Policy, says even controversial African leaders such as Gadhafi and Mugabe represent an opportunity for Chavez.