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Chavez, Gadhafi Call for Change in Definition of Terrorism

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The leaders of Venezuela and Libya are calling for a new global definition of terrorism.

Hugo Chavez and Moammar Gadhafi signed the declaration during a rally Monday on Venezuela's Margarita Island. The document says both nations reject efforts to "link the legitimate struggle" of people for "liberty and self-determination" with terrorism.

Both leaders have been accused of supporting and harboring terrorists. The United States and Colombia have charged that Mr. Chavez has aided the leftist insurgent group FARC, which has been waging a long civil war against Colombia.

Libya has been condemned for playing a role in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbee, Scotland, which killed 270 people, including 38 Americans.

But Mr. Gadhafi has sought to improve relations with the West after he abandoned his country's weapons of mass destruction program.

Mr. Gadhafi was in Venezuela to attend a two-day summit of leaders from South America and Africa. The officials vowed to increase cooperation in such areas as defense, finance, trade, energy and agriculture.



Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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