Venezuela: Chavez signs 'anti-terror' document with Gaddafi

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) gestures next to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi (L), after decorating him with the Order of the Liberator, the nation's highest honour, in Porlamar, Margarita Island, in northwestern Venezuela, where a weekend summit of South American and African leaders took place, September 28, 2009.


Porlamar, 29 Sept. (AKI) - Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have signed a joint declaration calling for a new definition of terrorism. The leaders endorsed the declaration late Monday after a summit between African and South American leaders.

In the document, Libya and Venezuela "reject intentions to link the legitimate struggle of the people for liberty and self-determination" with terrorism, but also reiterated the importance of countering terrorism in all its forms.

The declaration also demanded reforms in the United Nations Security Council.

"Let's all be conscious that we are writing the new pages of history, confronting imperialism, the bourgeoisie, backwardness and colonialism," said Chavez during a rally on the island of Margarita off the northern coast of Venezuela.

The Libyan leader, who is on his first trip to Latin America, also vowed to boost cooperation with Venezuela in the energy, political and economic sectors.

Both countries are major oil exporters and members of the OPEC oil cartel.

Venezuela and Libya "have the same trench, the same destiny, the same battle against a common enemy, and we will be victorious," said Gaddafi.

"We will not surrender to anyone. They are facing the renaissance of a great southern force," he said.

He flagged the possibility of creating an alternative military alliance to NATO, something he called SATO, a NATO of the south.

"Those who were betting on NATO, we are telling them now that we are going to bet on SATO. We're going to have our treaty, too." he said.

More than 60 world leaders met for the international summit on the island of Margarita.