Chavez eyes an axis of US enemies

Chavez eyes an 'axis' of US enemies
Monday, June 12, 2006 10:43:17 pm REUTERS

CARACAS (VENEZUELA): Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez announced on
Sunday that he will visit Iran and North Korea, two nations at odds with
Washington over nuclear development, at a time when Chavez is seeking to
distance Venezuela from the United States.

Chavez, who has promised a socialist revolution to end poverty in the
world's fifth-largest oil exporter, has drawn fire from the US State
Department for building alliances with US foes like Cuba and Iran.

"We will soon be in North Korea, we will soon be in Tehran, deepening
our ... strategic alliances" Chavez said during his weekly Sunday broadcast.

He said the tour will also include stops in China and Russia, where
Venezuela will sign military cooperation agreements with the Russian
government, following US moves to block Chavez's arms purchases from
other countries.

He did not provide dates for the trip, which he said will include a
stop in "North Vietnam".

The US State Department last month added Venezuela to a list of nations
not cooperating in the fight on terrorism and has repeatedly accused
Chavez of supporting leftist guerrillas in neighbouring Colombia, though
there has been no clear evidence to support this claim.

The US government in January blocked sales of Spanish military planes
and ships to Venezuela by refusing Spain an export license for the US
technology used in the vessels.

Chavez has supported Iran's efforts to develop N-technology, and has
helped undermine the US embargo of Cuba by upping trade and giving oil.

He drew State Department criticism in 2000 by visiting former Iraqi
president Saddam Hussein as part of a tour to strengthen the
Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

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