Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez … he wants a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has called for an international mediation effort to seek a peaceful solution to the uprising against his friend and political ally, the Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi, Alarabiya News channel has reported.

Chavez said speech on live TV he had already discussed the idea with some members of the ALBA bloc of left-wing Latin American nations and some other countries in Europe and South America and hopes they could create a commission that goes to Libya for talks with the Libyan government and the leaders of the opposition. "We want a peaceful solution ... We support peace in the Arab world and in the whole world," he said.

Without giving further details of the proposed mediation mission, Chavez said it was better to seek "a political solution instead of sending marines to Libya, and better to send a goodwill mission than for the killing to continue."

He is reported saying: “The United States has said it is ready to invade Libya. And almost all the European countries have condemned Libya. What do they want? Libya's oil."

Reporting from the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, Al Jazeera's Dima Khatib said the comments come from "Chavez's ideology that the south can come up with solutions for the south".

"Chavez said that the door is open to all the 'friendly' nations," she said.

Chavez, is a very close friend of the Libyan leader and praises him as a fellow revolutionary. He has made six visits to Libya since he became Venezuela President in 1998.

Al Qathafi visited Venezuela in 2009, giving Chavez a Bedouin tent and receiving a replica copy of the sword of South American independence hero Simon Bolivar.

The Venezuelan said it would be hypocritical of him to join the chorus of international condemnation of Al Qathafi now.

He said that similar condemnation has been done against him [Chavez] in the past. That he had been accused of harbouring al-Qaeda and also accused of all kinds of things without any proof.

"As everyone says today that Al Qathafi is a murderer, then Chavez has to say so too? I'm not convinced," he said. "I am not going to condemn from afar. That would be cowardly with someone who has been my friend and our friend for a long time, without knowing what is happening in Libya ... I am not a coward, I am not fickle."

Chavez repeated his warning that the United States wanted to invade Libya to get oil, a view that has also been voiced by both Cuba and Nicaragua.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that Chavez seemed worried that the United States is after the Libyan oil, just like they were after the Iraqi oil. He says that “they have gone mad because of the Libyan oil; it's driving them crazy," our correspondent said.
Chavez also wondered why doesn't the world condemn the massacres in Falluja, in Afghanistan and in Pakistan.