In June, Chavez visited three countries - Russia, Belarus and Iran, tightening ties with arms and oil experts as well keeping a warm relationship with his socialistic oriented buddy - Belarus.
Chavez's tour began with a visit to Russia. Both countries agreed to invest into a joint project to explore the Orinoco oil belt. The Orinoco belt holds the world's largest reserves of heavy oil (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6252370.stm)
Following his visit to Russia, Chavez flew to Belarus. He called it a "model social state" - similar to what Venezuela is trying to create. Unlike Chavez's further visit of Russia and Iran where he made agreements with the countries to trade arms and start joint oil development projects, Belarus had nothing to offer. "Bat'ka" Lukashenko, as Belorussian falks call their president, is having hard times getting oil on his own from the only neighbour that still talks to him - Russia. Oil prices in Minsk, Belarus are close to what I've seen in Canada. Seems like Russia stopped making discounts for its "Western" ally. More on Chavez's visit to Belarus: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5209868.stm.
Chavez's visit to Iran has marked the launch of construction of a joint petrochemical plant in Iran and then Venezuela. Mr. Chavez has been supporting Iran's nuclear programme. Iran declares that its uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful energy production and not for development of weapons of mass destruction as US and EU insist (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6252370.stm)
Related link - Mercosur (BBC Profile) - Common Market of the South
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5195834.stm
Thursday, July 05, 2007
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