- Title: SYRIA: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez calls Israel imperialist state
- Date: 3rd September 2009
- Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (SEPTEMBER 3, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ ARRIVING TO MEET HIS SYRIAN COUTERPART BASHAR AL-ASSAD VARIOUS OF THE MEETING BETWEEN ASSAD AND CHAVEZ VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE HALL CHAVEZ (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, HUGO CHAVEZ, SAYING: "Israel turned into a state that annihilates people. It is an enemy of p
- Embargoed: 18th September 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA1ZND9HV94DE4TPUOJMA1OC71H
- Story Text: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, at athe start of his two day visit in Syria on Thursday (September 3) attacked Israel calling it an enemy of peace and an imperialist state.
"Israel turned into a state that annihilates people. It is an enemy of peace. It preaches wars and aggression even in Latin America. It is an executive arm of the American imperialism." Chavez said at a news conference following his meeting with Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.
Chavez criticized Israel's war against Gaza and called for the return to Syria of the strategic Golan Heights that the Jewish state has controlled since the 1967 war.
"We call for the return of the Golan Heights to Syria," Chavez said.
Chavez's two-day visit in Syria is part of a regional tour which also includes Libya, Algeria, Iran, Belarus and Russia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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