Foreign Minister Chaderton Matos backs Carter proposals

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 1:38:00 AM By: Robert Rudnicki

Foreign Minister (MRE) Roy Chaderton Matos has told reporters that the government is willing to support any proposals to end the current political deadlock, as long as they are within the Venezuelan Constitution.

The MRE Minister also urged both sides of the political divide to tone down their rhetoric and called for an end to the rising spiral of violence in the country ... "we need guarantees, because we have a very violent and irrational opposition."

Chaderton Matos also renewed President Hugo Chavez Frias' call for the eventual expansion of the "Friends of Venezuela" group from the current six members ... Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States ... to include other nations like Algeria, Cuba, China, France and Russia.

Last week, Cuban leader Fidel Castro warned President Chavez Frias that the current group is made upmainly of  enemies rather than friends ... alleging that most of the countries involved had helped out in the failed April 11 coup d'etat, which briefly removed the President form office. Castro also said that, if President Chavez Frias called for his involvement, he would be willing to consider assisting the group.