Chavez and Chirac affirm 'common vision', deeper ties

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Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Jacques Chirac of France met in Paris and agreed to further develop their already close ties. The meeting, which officials of both countries hailed, was expected to raise hackles in Washington, which is particularly at odds with the leader of oil-rich Venezuela.

During their hour-long meeting "the two presidents examined bilateral economic relations and in particular looked at issues concerning, oil, energy, infrastructure and tourism," Chirac's spokesman Jerome Bonnafont said. "They decided to set up an organised mechanism for dialogue to further develop economic and industrial cooperation between the two countries," he added. It was the third time the two had met this year.

French oil giant Total has a strong presence in Venezuela and could double its output from 200,000 to 400,000 barrels a day after several billion dollars were invested, Chavez said in Paris in March. Venezuela currently produces 3.1 million barrels of oil a day. It is the world's fifth largest exporter and the only country in Latin America to be a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel.



During the mini summit Chirac reiterated that France and the European Union supported regional integration in Latin America as a "boon for stability and economic and social progress," according to Bonnanfot, who said the French president noted Venezuela's recent accession to MERCOSUR, the common market of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Earlier Wednesday, Chavez lunched with French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who spoke of the "common vision between the two countries." Villepin added, in an impeccable Spanish he learnt growing up in Caracas, that "relations between France and Venezuela are very good and we are looking to develop our cooperation on all levels." "I think the next few months and years are going to prove very important in the cooperation between our two countries," he added.

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http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=75551

[IndianaGreen]

1. My Gawd, Chavez is now French!

Rightwingers go apeshit everytime one mentions FRANCE, they will surely go bananas now.

[ShockediSay]

2. Real democracy may have a chance

after all.

Not the kind run by the likes of bagmen like DeLay



or lobbyists, take for example, Abramoff.

[1932]

3. See, if you're willing to let everyone win a little, everyone wins.

But if you want to win it all and can't stand that someone else winning a little, you end up going home with your ball.