US Aircraft Carrier Docked North of Venezuel

US aircraft carrier docked nearby poses no threat: Venezuela
http://www.chinaview.cn 2005-08-23 13:25:12

CARACAS, Aug. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- A US aircraft carrier with 1,500 Marines on
board which docked last Friday in the island of Curacao, north of Venezuela, did
not pose a threat to the country, Defense Minister Orlando Maniglia said Monday.


In remarks to the state-run Venezuelan Television, Maniglia said this was a
resting stopover after a nine-day naval drill, adding that a similar situation
took place three months ago.

"They planned to have a resting day, like in the other occasion," he said.

But he noted that any foreign military approach off Venezuela's coasts will be
closely followed.

††††Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez termed the presence in March of a US
aircraft carrier in Curacao as an "act of provocation," but Venezuelan
Ambassador to the United States William Brownfield later said the tension only
was generated by a "lack of communication."

††††Maniglia said the US authorities had not previously informed his country of
the ship's call, but at any rate "this is something normal." Enditem