Chavez talks oil on Libya visit

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has described oil prices as "fair" and said he would work to maintain them, during a visit to Libya.

Mr Chavez said he discussed improving bilateral ties and working together on oil with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The two men are expected to sign an agreement but no details are available.

The two nations have contrasting US relations, with the US recently restoring ties with Libya but imposing an arms embargo on Venezuela.

Mr Chavez met Mr Gaddafi in a tent close to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, for talks on the final leg of a visit to Europe and north Africa.

"I'm glad to be here in Libya to strengthen bilateral relations... to maintain the price of oil," Mr Chavez told reporters.

"Today we have a fair price for oil."

Both countries are members of the group of oil-producing nations, Opec, which is next meeting in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on 1 June.

A unnamed Venezuelan official said an initiative to supply low-cost oil to African nations was also on the agenda.

Weapons

Mr Chavez also called for the world to unite against the "hegemony of the United States".

"We are against imperialism and against the United States," he said.

"We manufacture our own weapons, and we get weapons from Europe, Asia and Russia," he said, in a reference to a US decision two days ago to ban sales of arms to Venezuela. The US alleged Venezuela was failing to co-operate on counter-terrorism efforts.

No comments from Mr Gaddafi were reported.

Libya was removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism just two days ago.

The Venezuelan president's defiant comments come at a time when Tripoli has toned down its anti-US rhetoric, says the BBC's correspondent in Tripoli Rana Jawad.

Libya and Venezuela have enjoyed warm relations for a number of years. Mr Chavez has visited Libya four times, and was given a human rights award for "resisting imperialism" while on his last visit.