***** BBC Monitoring International Reports December 19, 2002 LENGTH: 172 words HEADLINE: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT TELLS CHAVEZ HE HOPES FOR NEGOTIATED SOLUTION IN VENEZUELA
BODY: Moscow, 18 December: Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed the hope that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will be able to achieve national accord in Venezuela through negotiations. Putin said this in a phone conversation with Chavez, which took place on Tuesday evening 17 December on Chavez's initiative, the Russian president's press service told Interfax. "Vladimir Putin has expressed the hope that Hugo Chavez, the lawfully-elected president of Venezuela, will be able to establish a dialogue with all responsible forces of the country to achieve solid national accord and stabilize the political situation. The Russian president gave good marks to the unanimous position of the Organization of American States (OAS), who have spoken against any attempt to unconstitutionally change the state system and for settlement of all problems in accordance with Venezuela's current constitution," the press service said.
Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 1405 gmt 18 Dec 02 *****
***** BBC Monitoring International Reports December 19, 2002 LENGTH: 164 words HEADLINE: IRAN'S PRESIDENT DISCUSSES VENEZUELAN SITUATION, OIL WITH PRESIDENT CHAVEZ
BODY: Tehran, 19 December: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in a telephone conversation late Wednesday 19 December briefed his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami on the ongoing situation in the South American country which has seen its vital oil industry crippled by over two weeks of opposition strikes.
The two presidents, whose countries are major OPEC members with Iran the second largest oil producer and Venezuela ranking fifth in the organization, also discussed issues relating to crude oil and stressed on their economic and political cooperation.
Khatami hoped that Chavez would succeed in "putting behind existing problems with wisdom and patience with the help of the Venezuelan people, especially the country's youth".
The Venezuelan president expressed his best wishes for Khatami and hailed the Islamic Republic's steps in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries...
Source: IRNA web site, Tehran, in English 19 Dec 02 ***** --- Sent from UnionMail Service [http://mail.union.org.za]