Malki meets Venezuelan FM in Caracas

Foreign minister Riyad Al-Malki met with his Venezuelan counterpart in Caracas on Tuesday. Al-Malki's visit was part of a regional trip to the Caribbean Basin. His office described the Caracas meeting as aimed at developing bilateral relations between both countries. A statement said the Venezuelan foreign minister would soon visit Palestine to launch projects sponsored by the South American nation. PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, meanwhile, will travel to Moscow on Aug. 22 to hold talks with Sergei Lavrov, the Palestinian ambassador said. Faed Mustafa told Novosti news agency that the two officials would discuss peace talks between Palestine and Israel. Russia welcomed the return to negotiations after three years of stalemate over the issue of Israeli settlements.