Chavez Proposes Talks for Libya

Al Jazeera
March 1, 2011

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/03/2011316273322512.html

Venezuelan president calls for mediation to end crisis while
the US and other powers weigh military options.

Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, has called for an
international mediation effort to seek a peaceful solution to
the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, the embattled Libyan
leader.

Chavez's call on Monday came as the US and other Western
governments discussed military options to put an end to the
violence against anti-Gaddafi protesters, who are pushing for
his ouster.

Options on the table include possible imposition of a no-fly
zone to protect civilians.

The US defence department also said on Monday that it was
moving naval and air forces into position near Libya.

Chavez said that he had already discussed the idea with some
Latin American nations as well as some European countries.

"I hope we can create a commission that goes to Libya to talk
with the government and the opposition leaders," he said in a
live television speech.

"We want a peaceful solution ... We support peace in the Arab
world and in the whole world."

Without giving further details of the proposed mediation
mission, Chavez said it was better to seek "a political
solution instead of sending marines to Libya, and better to
send a good will mission than for the killing to continue".

Al Jazeera's Dima Khatib, reporting from Caracas, said the
comments come from "Chavez's ideology that the south can come
up with solutions for the south".

"Chavez said that the door is open to all the 'friendly'
nations," she said.

"It will be interesting to see in the next few days, which
countries will be willing to join this international peace
commission."

'US after Libyan oil'

Chavez repeated his warning that the US wanted to invade
Libya to get oil, a view that has been voiced by both Cuba
and Nicaragua.

"He is worried that the United States is after the Libyan
oil, just like they were after the Iraqi oil. He says that
they have gone mad because of the Libyan oil; it's driving
them crazy," our correspondent said.

"He also wondered why doesn't the world condemn the massacres
in Falluja, in Afghanistan and in Pakistan."

Chavez is Gaddaf's main ally in Latin America and both
leaders regularly make public condemnations of US
"imperialism" and have exchanged visits in recent years.

Ties between the two leaders are so close that Gaddafi was
rumoured last month to have fled to Caracas, though these
claims were later denied.

Chavez said it would be hypocritical of him to join the
chorus of international condemnation of Gaddafi now.

"He says that this [condemnation] has been done against him
[Chavez] in the past. He has been accused of harbouring al-
Qaeda; he has been accused of all kinds of things without any
proof," Al Jazeera's Khatib said.

Chavez posted a message on Twitter on Thursday saying "Long
live Libya and its independence! Gaddafii faces a civil war!"

It was his first reaction to the uprising that has shaken
Libya since February 15.

Chavez's opponents say that his links with Gaddafi, and
refusal to condemn his violence against opponents,
demonstrate a similar autocratic nature.

Pro-opposition newspapers have been showing daily pictures of
the two men together at past meetings.