<a href=www.agi.it>AGI Online NEW ITALIAN AMBASSADORS IN VENEZUELA AND ARMENIA (AGI) - Rome, Italy, May 3 - The new Italian ambassadors to Venezuela and Armenia, who were recently nominated by the Cabinet, have been confirmed.    Here is an outline of the two diplomats: - Gerardo CARANTE, Italian ambassador to Caracas Born in San Salvatore Monferrato (Alexandra) on December 22, 1945, he graduated in law at the University of Genoa in 1968 and in political science at the University of Pavia in 1973. He started his diplomatic career in 1970. In 1986 he was senior advisor at the Permanent Italian Delegation at the United Nations in New York and then in Athens. Back in Rome in 1990 at the General Office for Cultural Relations, in 1992 he left his role to be of service to the prime minister and then to the ministry of justice. In 1993 he was the senior advisor in Moscow. In 1997 he was appointed minister of plenipotentiary and the following year went to the Permanent Italian Delegation at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris as advisory minister. In 2001 he came back to Rome to work in the General Office for economic co-operation and multi-lateral finance. - Marco CLEMENTE, Italian ambassador to Erevan Born in Rome on June 29, 1959, he graduated in political science at the "LUISS" University in Rome in 1984 and began his diplomatic career in 1985. Between 1987 and 1990 he was at Canberra and then Consul in Caracas until 1994, when he returned to the ministry at the General Office for political affairs. From 1999 he was consul general at Johannesburg. In 2002 he was appointed advisor to the embassy. (AGI) 031508 MAG 03

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 01, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Venezuelan Foreign Minister (MRE) Roy Chaderton Matos says his country is interested in resolving the recurrent problems of Venezuelan fishermen accused of illegally fishing in Guyanese territorial waters. "In Georgetown there is political will to reach an agreement on the matter." 

The problem is complex since Venezuela continues to claim the Essequibo region, which covers two-thirds of Guyana and of course, corresponding territorial waters. 

Although Chaderton Matos admits that no date has been set to sign an agreement, he says dialog will continue. 

Meeting with Guyana's Foreign Minister, Chaderton Matos has confirmed that they discussed environmental issues, trade, cultural and economic cooperation, agriculture, transport, narcotics control and immigration.  

During the visit, Venezuela's border negotiator, Luis Herrera Montano met his Guyana's counterpart, Ralph Ram Karran.

Answering a question raised in VHeadline.com report yesterday, Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown official, Fernando Rincon says the proposal to open an air route between the two countries will depend on whether it can run at a profit.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Venezuelan Foreign Minister (MRE) Roy Chaderton Matos is on a two-day visit to neighboring Guyana where bilateral relations have been less spectacular than relations with Brazil and certainly less dramatic and controversial than those with Colombia. 

During the visit Chaderton Matos says he will meet up with Guyanese Foreign Minster, Samuel Rudolph to discuss topics of common interest and to study concrete proposals of bilateral cooperation. 

Measures already agreed to in earlier bilateral meetings seem to have been placed on a backburner, such as opening a direct commercial flight between eastern Venezuela (Puerto Ordaz) and Georgetown to encourage trade and cultural exchanges. 

The Foreign Minister recalls the friendly atmosphere surrounding  the visit of his predecessor, Colonel (ret.) Luis Alfonso Davila in November 2001 and a high level two-nation commission (COBAN) meeting in Georgetown in February 2002. 

The last time the two countries formally met was in Caracas in October 2002 for another COBAN meeting. Both governments have expressed their will to seek friendly solutions to common problems. 

However, there have been moments of tension over the last few years regarding the alleged presence of Venezuelan National Guard soldiers accused of crossing into Guyana allegedly in hot pursuit of narco-traffickers and secondly, the delicate matter of offshore maritime limits.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 By: David Coleman

Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera has issued a statement in support of Foreign Minister (MRE) Roy Chaderton Matos' weekend statements that the US State Department is being fed false information about Venezuela  ... he says "as regards the confusion over the political process in Venezuela, there are many (competing) circles of power in the United States."

Speaking to a group of investors at a special meeting of the Venezuelan American Association of the United States (VAAUS)  in New York this morning, Ambassador Alvarez Herrera referred to articles in the 1999 Constitution which oblige any public official to submit to revocatory referendums.

"This is not an option, nor is it within the gift of the National Executive.  It is in the Constitution that the people, once they have collected a certain number of (verifiable) signatures, may call a referendum to revoke the mandate of any person who has been elected ... all the way from the President to Town Mayors ... there are certain sectors that have a qualified interest to hide this fact!"

Alvarez Herrera added that friends of Venezuelan opposition leaders in the United States should help them to prepare for the electoral defeat that they will suffer in a referendum against President Hugo Chavez Frias.  "Despite all the attacks, among which they have attempted a military coup d'etat and an economic coup, President Chavez Frias remains in power thanks to his thoroughly democratic form of government and significant majority support among the people."

In separate news, Ambassador Alvarez Herrera announced that on May 5, the Venezuelan government will be relaunching its petroleum industry at an international level during trade negotiations at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. He says "it will be PDVSA's second debut on the international market and, among others, former OPEC Secretary General Ali Rodriguez Araque (now PDVSA president), Energy & Mines (MEM) Minister Rafael Ramirez and principal Venezuelan petroleum sector executives will be on hand to show Venezuela's new policy developments on oil in the wake of the new Hydrocarbons Law as well as to promote business opportunities with private sector investors.

Our editorial statement reads: VHeadline.com Venezuela is a wholly independent e-publication promoting democracy in its fullest expression and the inalienable right of all Venezuelans to self-determination and the pursuit of sovereign independence without interference. We seek to shed light on nefarious practices and the corruption which for decades has strangled this South American nation's development and progress. Our declared editorial bias is pro-democracy and pro-Venezuela ... which some may wrongly interpret as anti-American. Roy S. Carson, Editor/Publisher Editor@VHeadline.com

<a href=www.falkland-malvinas.com>Mercosur Friday, 18 April

The Falklands former Governor, Donald Lamont, has been appointed Britain's Ambassador to Venezuela. He will take up his new position in July having undertaken 'pre-post training' at the Foreign & Commonwealth office in London. He takes over from Dr. John Hughes who is looking for a new position.

Ambassador D. Lamont Mr. Lamont completed his three years tour as Governor of the Falklands in November 2002, and until recently has been without a follow-up post. He was succeeded in the Falklands by the present Governor Mr. Howard Pearce, who during the 1970's, served in the British Embassy in Buenos Aires.

Mr. Lamont is a fairly fluent Spanish speaker, having prior to his Falklands