Venezuela's Chavez Concludes South America - Africa Summit
By Darcy Crowe, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
PORLAMAR, Venezuela -(Dow Jones)- President Hugo Chavez concluded a heads of
state summit with some of Washington's most ardent foes in South America and
Africa with a slew of pledges to boost economic collaboration in a bid to fight
off U.S. influence in the two regions.
"We have to take control of our natural resources," Chavez said Sunday during
the heads of state meeting. The summit was marked by fierce accusations of the
damage caused by U.S. economic influence in the two regions.
Libya's Moammar Gadhafi attracted plenty of attention during the meeting. His
tent, pitched in the beach of the luxury resort where the meeting was held,
wasn't the target of protests, something that happened during an earlier visit
to New York.
The Libyan leader said during the meeting that "the empires don't have any
clemency on us" and pushed for the creation of a military alliance between
developing nations along the lines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (
NATO). Chavez welcomed the idea and said he was an admirer of the Libyan leader,
who has now been in power for 40 years.
Chavez also had warm words for Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, who is facing
diplomatic isolation due to accusations of human rights violations. Mugabe,
Chavez said, has become "a target of western media" because of his refusal to
bend to the demands of Europe and the U.S.
"I offer my moral and political support," Chavez said.
Chavez pushed for the creation of a mining corporation between countries from
Africa and South America in attempt to develop their mineral resources. Chavez
said that a memorandum of understanding was signed with Sierra Lone for the
creation of a joint company. It's also signing letters of intention with
Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Angola, Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa in mining.
"We have the will to go those countries to explore," Venezuela's Mining
Minister Rodolfo Sanz said in a statement. Venezuela is also planning on helping
Mauritania and Tanzania build small steel factories to develop their iron ore
deposits, Sanz said.
The leaders also pushed for the creation of an oil corporation and discussed
the possibility of creating a joint monetary zone to counteract the influence of
the U.S. dollar.
"Africa and South America in theory meet all the conditions for the creation
of a new monetary system," said Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. Despite the
lofty goals set out by the leaders, most of the agreements, as well as the
summit's final declaration, remained vague, with few details on the economic
plans the countries will pursue.
The gathering, however, provided a stage for Chavez and other leaders to vent
their attacks at Washington. During Chavez's decade in power, Venezuela has
developed an unrelenting foreign policy, constantly courting developing nations
and setting economic and diplomatic alliances with some of Washington's most
ardent foes.
-By Darcy Crowe, darcy.crowe@dowjones.com 58.414 249.6821
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
09-27-091804ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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