In statements released by the State Department in Washington and its embassy in Caracas, the U.S. government rebutted Chavez's suggestion that military operations to destroy Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network were like fighting ''terror with more terror.''

``We reject this representation of the coalition's actions in Afghanistan,'' read the embassy statement. ``It is false to present the U.S. response to the al Qaeda attack as if it were an act of terrorism.''

It was the clearest sign to date of Washington's growing irritation with Venezuelan criticisms of its diplomatic and military response to the Sept. 11 suicide attacks in New York and Washington, which killed some 4,800 people.

It came less than a week after the U.S. ambassador to Caracas, Donna Hrinak, said Venezuela's international credibility had been damaged by ``contradictory'' statements from some senior government officials.

Venezuela is second largest oil supplier to the United States, but traditionally close ties with Washington have become more strained since Chavez took office in 1999.

Citing the need for a ``multipolar'' world order, Chavez has strengthened ties with China and Russia, and with states such as Iraq, Libya, Iran and Cuba, which are on a U.S. list of sponsors of terrorism.

AFGHAN CIVILIAN NOT THE TARGET

In his televised speech late on Monday, former paratrooper Chavez condemned the Sept. 11 suicide attacks but made an impassioned plea for an end to ``the killing of innocents'' in Afghanistan.

``We were surprised and deeply disappointed by President Chavez's comments which are not in accord with Venezuela's position in the United Nations,'' said the State Department comment, read to Reuters by a U.S. diplomat in Caracas.

The U.S. government has admitted that civilians have been killed by stray bombs and missiles in its daily air strikes against Afghanistan's Taliban rulers. It blames the Taliban for hiding Saudi-born militant bin Laden, whom it holds responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks.

Chavez said on Monday there could be ``no justification of any kind'' for civilian casualties, even those killed by mistake.

In response, the State Department said: ``We are not targeting the people of Afghanistan and have made every effort to avoid any civilian casualties. We deeply regret any such casualties.''

It said the military response against Afghanistan was an act of self-defense in accordance with article 51 of the U.N. charter, and noted that four Venezuelans had been among those killed in the suicide hijackings.

``The attacks of Sept. 11 were attacks against the entire global community, citizens from over 80 countries lost their lives,'' the statement read.

The latest spat came on the eve of a meeting between Ambassador Hrinak and Foreign Minister Luis Davila to ``clarify'' her comments on Venezuela's international credibility.

Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited

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