by Diego Urdaneta
CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mohammad Khatami took turns attacking the United States and its allies Friday during a state visit by the Iranian leader.
Khatami, on a three-day visit to Venezuela, said the two countries "are firmly opposed to any aggression which takes place in the their countries," adding that "instead of polarity and terror we want peace and security in the world."
Chavez in turn declared that Iran has "all the right to develop its atomic energy", and that Venezuela opposes any attempts "to deny the Iranians this right."
It was Khatami's third visit to Venezuela, as the two countries seek closer ties in the face of strong criticism by Washington.
Washington has threatened Iran in recent months over its alleged secret nuclear weapons program, while US officials have branded Chavez undemocratic and a source of Latin American instability.
Khatami blasted Washington during a speech at Venezuela's legislature, the National Assembly.
"Terrorism is the deadly phenomenon of our era, even more when some powers rush to meddle in the internal affairs of other states under the pretext of fighting terrorism, then try to oblige all of humanity to follow them," he said in a speech in Farsi that was translated into Spanish.
The interests of the great powers, especially the United States, often "do not coincide with the true interests of the people," Khatami said.
Khatami called for terrorist acts to be condemned, but also for the condemnation "of crimes committed in the name of liberty, such as in (the US-run military prisons in) Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo."
Khatami congratulated the Venezuelan people because "they do not submit to bullying or blackmail," in reference to the ongoing clashes between Caracas and Washington.
Both countries are founding members of the OPEC oil producers' cartel. Despite tense relations with Washington, Venezuela remains a leading oil exporter to the United States.
The two leaders on Friday signed some 20 agreements on cooperation on the oil and petrochemical industries, taxes, commerce and construction.
Khatami and Chavez were scheduled to travel Saturday to the mining center of Ciudad Guyana, to inaugurate a tractor assembly plant.
The two countries Friday signed a pact on the construction of a cement plant, a double taxation treaty, a cooperation accord between the two central banks and a pact on housing construction, among other agreements, the Venezuelan foreign ministry said.
On Friday Chavez awarded Khatami one of Venezuela's top honorary decorations, "The Order of Liberator Simon Bolivar."
Khatami's remarks came as the US State Department announced that it would drop its objection to Iran joining the World Trade Organization, in support of European diplomatic efforts to persuade Tehran to limit its nuclear program to peaceful purposes.
03/12/2005 03:47 GMT