US Dismisses Call for 'Friends of Venezuela' Mediation Group

VOA News 03 Jan 2003, 22:23 UTC

The United States has dismissed a call for the creation of a new mediating group to help Venezuela resolve its ongoing political crisis.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters in Washington Friday that current mediation efforts by the Organization of American States (OAS) should suffice.

Mr. Boucher also said the OAS is uniquely positioned and equipped to address what he called Venezuela's crisis of democracy.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he favored the creation of a "Friends of Venezuela" group to help end the crisis that has paralyzed the country's key oil sector.

President Chavez did not name the countries that would be involved in the proposed group, but said he expected them to represent Latin America, Europe and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Venezuela is a member of the OPEC cartel.