Thousands of Syrians lined the streets of the capital Wednesday waving banners and flags to welcome Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who pledged to stand by Syria in opposition to American "imperialist aggression" in the Middle East.
Syrian President Bashar Assad hosted Chavez at the People's Palace, where the two leaders strolled down a red carpet alongside a 21-gun salute while a marching band played the Syrian and Venezuelan national anthems.
"We have the same political vision and we will resist together the American imperialist aggression," Chavez told reporters upon his arrival at the Damascus airport late Tuesday. He said the two countries will sign a document opposing US "aggression" in the Middle East.
Assad greeted Chavez at the airport and thanked him for his support for Middle Eastern nations, saying the Venezuelan president has made "great stands" in support of Arab causes. "We appreciate your sincere feelings toward the peoples who have their rights and are under occupation, as well as your sincere humanitarian and moral sentiments," Assad was quoted as saying through an interpreter.
Chavez has built close ties with Iran, Syria and other Mideast countries while his relations have grown tense with the US and Israel. Earlier this month, Chavez compared Israel's attacks on Hizbullah militants in Lebanon to the Holocaust and withdrew Venezuela's ambassador to the Jewish state. Israel responded by recalling its ambassador to Venezuela, criticizing what it called Chavez's "wild slurs."
Last month, Chavez visited Iran and received the country's highest state medal for supporting Tehran in its nuclear standoff with the international community. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the South American leader "a brother and trench mate."
Asked about Chavez's visit to Syria, US State Department spokesman Tom Casey suggested the Venezuelan leader should remind Damascus about its international obligations to prevent the Hizbullah militant group from receiving weapons in southern Lebanon.
He cited a 2004 UN resolution that called for the disarmament of all militant groups in Lebanon and the Aug. 14 ceasefire resolution that called for an arms embargo against Hizbullah. Israel accuses Syria of supplying arms to the Lebanese militia.
"We think what's important for anyone having discussions with the Syrian government to do is to emphasize the need for Syria to meet its international obligations," Casey said Tuesday. "And that includes complying with its long-standing obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1559, as well as the additional ones placed upon it in Resolution 1701."
Chavez consistently accuses the US of conspiring to oust him and often asserts the CIA is working to destabilize his government. President Bush's government has repeatedly labeled Chavez a threat to democracy, but US officials have denied trying to overthrow the leftist Chavez.
Syrian state-run newspapers hailed Chavez's visit Wednesday. An editorial in the Tishrin government paper called him a "brave man" and said his visit showed Venezuelans and Syrians were "standing in one trench because their enemy is the same."
"Damascus is receiving today a man of steadfastness ... who stands in the face of huge challenges and says `no' to US policies and plans," it said.
Chavez's visit provides "support and backing to the forces of justice, freedom and independence," said an editorial in the ruling Baath party's newspaper.
_a.jpg "Photo: Yaron Brener")
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