Venezuela President Chavez kicks off world tour

Caracas (Venezuela), July 20: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez left for a two-week world tour that includes stops in Iran and Russia.

Chavez, a former soldier who has promised a socialist revolution for the world's No. 5 oil exporter, is a harsh critic of the United States and has developed close ties with US foes like Cuba and Iran.

Chavez will first travel to Argentina for a meeting of South America's Mercosur trade bloc, which Venezuela recently joined. He will also visit Belarus, Russia, Qatar, Iran, Vietnam and Mali.

The Russia leg will include a highly publicized agreement to buy 24 Russian Sukhoi SU-30 combat planes after the US moved to block sales of Spanish and Brazilian planes on charges that Chavez was destabilizing regional democracy.

Chavez said Venezuela would also seek to develop energy partnerships with Russia and Mali.

He said a stop in North Korea, which was on the original itinerary announced before that nation's high-profile missile tests, would be part of a subsequent tour.

Venezuela is currently seeking a seat on the UN Security Council, though the United States has openly opposed the bid on charges that Chavez would constitute a negative influence at the United Nations.

Chavez counters that the United States is a decadent empire that represents a ''threat to the planet.''

Reuters