Venezuela and Syria want to strengthen their partnership, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said late Saturday after a four-hour meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asaad, according to dpa. "We must make progress with the Caracas-Damascus axis," said Chavez. "This axis is highly strategic." Al-Assad was on a first visit to Venezuela. Chavez paid visits to Syria in 2006 and 2009. Numerous agreements were signed during the meeting, which took place in the presidential palace of Miraflores in Caracas. -- SPA
