The prime minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, has criticised Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez for accusing the Netherlands of helping the United States prepare an attack on his country.
In an interview with Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Mr Balkenende dismissed the allegations as “fabrications” and “nonsense”. Mr Chávez has repeatedly accused The Hague of allowing US warplanes to use a Dutch military base on Curaçao to prepare strikes against Venezuela. The prime minister urged Mr Chávez to retract his claims. Mr Balkenende stressed that the US planes are only being used to combat drug traffickers.
The prime minister also criticised the relief effort in Haiti in the wake of last week's earthquake. He also voiced concern about the deployment of nearly 20,000 US troops there. The prime minister recognised they were needed now, but insisted that the United Nations must eventually take over responsibility.
Click here to see the interview.
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkende during the interview
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Wow, Balkenende I am impressed with you, for once you stand up and show some balls.
Sorry, Mr. Prime Minister the United Nations may never take control. Currently SOUTHCOM, the US southern military command now has total control over all major military operations in the region. To understand what SOUTHCOM has done in the past, besides enforcing US foreign policy to support corrupt governments and assassinations in that part of the world, one need only Google the appropriate sources. Whether the occupation of US troops will become permanent, be replaced by military contractors, a new war garrison built, in addition to its 737 other war bases on the planet, is still speculation.
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