<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh></DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV><DIV class=cap></DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has referred to US President George W Bush as "the devil" in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
"The devil came here yesterday," he said. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world."
Mr Bush addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday, its opening day.
John Bolton, Washington's ambassador to the UN, later told journalists he would not dignify the Venezuelan leader's remarks with a response.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg><DIV><DIV class=mva> It still smells of sulphur today <BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV>Hugo Chavez
Venezuelan president</DIV></DIV><DIV class=o>
</DIV><DIV class=miiib><DIV class=arr>UN session at a glance </DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Mr Chavez, a leftist leader allied to Cuba's Fidel Castro and with growing ties to fellow oil-producer Iran, has long had tense relations with the US.
"It still smells of sulphur today," he added in his speech.
He attacked US "hegemony" in the world and called for drastic reform of the UN to reduce what he called US influence.
In his speech, Mr Bush had defended his policies on the Middle East and said democracy was gaining ground as terrorists were marginalised. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"The devil came here yesterday," he said. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world."
Mr Bush addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday, its opening day.
John Bolton, Washington's ambassador to the UN, later told journalists he would not dignify the Venezuelan leader's remarks with a response.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg><DIV><DIV class=mva> It still smells of sulphur today <BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV>Hugo Chavez
Venezuelan president</DIV></DIV><DIV class=o>
</DIV><DIV class=miiib><DIV class=arr>UN session at a glance </DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Mr Chavez, a leftist leader allied to Cuba's Fidel Castro and with growing ties to fellow oil-producer Iran, has long had tense relations with the US.
"It still smells of sulphur today," he added in his speech.
He attacked US "hegemony" in the world and called for drastic reform of the UN to reduce what he called US influence.
In his speech, Mr Bush had defended his policies on the Middle East and said democracy was gaining ground as terrorists were marginalised. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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