Simply Politics and News

[StephanieVanbryce]

Venezuela seeks normal relations with USA despite belligerent Bush

Chinese People's Daily: Venezuela has sought "normal" relations with the United States but received the cold shoulder from US president George W Bush, Venezuela's Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said Monday.

"We want to have normal relations with the United States: the person who is in the way of this is George W Bush," Venezuelan media quoted him as saying.

The US government officials and ambassadors constantly used "megaphone diplomacy" to harass Venezuela, its government and institutions, he complained.

Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, supplies about 15% of US oil imports, but ties between Caracas and Washington have become increasingly strained since Chavez was first elected in 1998.

"If they give Venezuela the respect it deserves, the relationship with the United States will be normalized, which is what we want," said Rangel. "We are not looking for a fight with the United States."

Rangel said Venezuela and the United States have cooperated in trade, oil and fight against drug trafficking and terrorism. Caracas would soon sign a new deal with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The new deal reversed Venezuela's August decision to suspend relations with the DEA, after accusing the agency of sabotage. DEA agents based at the US embassy had their diplomatic immunity revoked for several months.

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=47495