Posted on 05/17/2006 9:01:12 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
TRIPOLI, Libya — Venezuela's anti-American president was given a warm welcome in the Libyan capital Wednesday by Col. Moammar Gadhafi, whose authoritarian regime was removed only this week from Washington's list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
Gadhafi, his face partly covered by a large brown scarf draped over his Arab tribal robe, looked on as President Hugo Chavez shook hands with waiting officials at a VIP arrival terminal. The building was scarred with bullet holes. Some crenelated concrete at the top had been blasted away, perhaps damaged in U.S. airstrikes more than two decades ago.
Chavez, whose country was placed under a U.S. arms embargo two days ago, stopped to chat with some of those waiting to greet him as a band played the national anthems of both oil-rich countries.
The two leaders then got into a late-model Cadillac stretch limousine and were driven a short distance to a tent. A herd of camels watched as the limousine drove by with at least 20 security men trotting alongside.
A Venezuelan official in Tripoli, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters, told The Associated Press that Chavez intended to meet with Gadhafi to discuss "social programs based on oil revenues."
He said the global oil market was also on the two leaders' agenda in preparation for the June 1 OPEC meeting in Caracas. Tripoli also has vast oil reserves and U.S.-based oil companies are racing to gain drilling rights there.
It was Chavez's fourth visit to the North African nation.
Washington announced Monday it was restoring diplomatic relations with Gadhafi's government and simultaneously removed it from the State Department list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
Chavez, who was in London when the arms boycott was announced, issued a stringing rebuke, saying: "This doesn't matter to us at all."
He said his government would not respond with punitive measures such as travel restrictions.
"There's no way we will do that. We will find a solution to this," he said, calling the United States an "irrational empire."
Chavez said Washington "has a great capacity to do harm to the countries of the world."
The United States imposed the arms ban because of what it claimed was a lack of support by Chavez's leftist government for counterterrorism efforts, the State Department said.
The next day, Gen. Alberto Muller, an adviser to Chavez said he had recommended to the defense ministry that Venezuela consider selling its U.S.-supplied F-16s because of the ban. Muller said he thought it worthwhile to consider "the feasibility of a negotiation with Iran for the sale of those planes."
Venezuela's defense minister, however, said there were no immediate plans to sell U.S.-made fighter jets despite a dispute over replacement parts.
Defense Minister Adm. Orlando Maniglia said a sale of the 21 F-16s wasn't in the works and Chavez "has not given any order" as to what to do with the aircraft.
The Iranian Embassy in Caracas said no deal involving warplanes had been proposed.
Maniglia also said the United States had violated a contract by refusing to sell Venezuela replacement parts for its jets, even after Venezuela paid for those parts.
"I've honestly grown tired of asking for replacement parts for the F-16s," he said. "I've got my list. We've paid. We have money deposited in the United States."
they are all freken laughing at us
you may indeed be correct sir
Is that peter O'Toole? I thought he was sober these days.
Is that Dr. Johnny Fever in the center? LOL!
Chavez doing the 2006 world scumbag tour.
LOL! Hugo, take notice!
Methinks Hugo will not be happy with everything Khadaffi says to him.
Turds of a feather. Looks like a psycho convention.
Can some one photo shop Jimmah Carter in place of o toole
Gadhafi has sure shut his mouth as of late.
The International Conference Of Fruitcakes.
Ping
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