CARACAS, Aug. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Venezuelan Vice President Jose Rangel urged Washington on Saturday to recognize his country as a "political interlocutor" and negotiate "in a political way" a solution to differences between the two countries.

    The US government must recognize Venezuela as a "political interlocutor" especially after the ratification of the Aug. 15 recall referendum during which Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won 59 percent of the votes to defeat an opposition bid to recall him from office, Rangel said.

    "We have political differences that can be settled in a political way. Thus, the US government, from Aug. 15, which is an emblematic date, should recognize Venezuela as a political interlocutor and address differences politically," Rangel told thepress one day after US Undersecretary of State Richard Armitage called on the government of Chavez to soften its "anti-American rhetoric" to benefit bilateral relations.

    Rangel said the government of Chavez "wants to have excellent relations, not only with the US people, but also with the government."

    "We don't have differences in the areas of the combat against terrorism, drug trafficking or the supply of petroleum; we are themost reliable supplier of oil in the world to the United States," said Rangel.

    Relations between the two countries have strained since late February after Chavez accused President George W. Bush of financing the opposition's plot against his government. Chavez also believed that the United States was behind the coup in 2002, which briefly ousted him from office.

    The accusations have been denied by the United States, the principal purchaser of Venezuelan oil. Enditem