A summit of African leaders opened Saturday with a special welcome for the presidents of Iran and Venezuela, each visiting the poorest continent to win support in disputes with the United States.
President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia hailed the presence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran at the summit of the 53-nation African Union as "a morale booster as well as an assurance that Africa can make it."
Ahmadinejad's visit was seen as an attempt to bolster his country in its standoff with the United States and Europe over its nuclear program. Ahmadinejad has made several highly publicized trips to Asia, where he drew crowds of Muslims cheering his country for defying the West. |