Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was to hold talks Thursday afternoon with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, as part of an ongoing international tour, state-run media in Damascus reported.
The visiting president, who landed in Damascus Wednesday night, was also scheduled to conduct a press conference after meeting the Syrian leader, DPA reported.
Chavez came directly from Tehran, where he and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed to counter what they said was Western dominance and jointly fight against "imperialism."
The talks between Chavez and al-Assad will focus on regional and international issues of mutual concern as well as industrial and commercial links between the two countries, Venezuelan ambassador to Syria Emad Saab told the German Press Agency dpa.
Venezuela has become more vocal in recent years against Israel, Syria's regional rival, cutties ties with the Jewish State in 2009 over the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Chavez is paying his third visit to Syria since 2006. He was expected to leave Thursday evening to continue his trip, which would take him to Libya next and then to Portugal.