Venezuela's Chavez starts Russia visit
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| Published on Thursday, June 28, 2007 |
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MOSCOW, Russia (AFP): Venezuela's fiercely anti-US President Hugo Chavez arrived Thursday in Moscow to discuss possible weapons purchases and wider economic ties with Russia, one of the world's leading arms exporters.
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| Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez smiles as he arrives at the Vnukovo II, government airport outside Moscow. AFP PHOTO |
"We came here with great hope, great faith for our cooperation and our union," Chavez said, voicing "optimism and happiness that we are on this land which is dear to us."
Chavez will meet President Vladimir Putin later Thursday to discuss relations between Russia and his oil-rich Latin American state. The two will also attend a horse race in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday.
The meetings between Chavez and Putin -- accused by Washington of rolling back democracy in their respective countries and of playing politics with energy supplies -- were likely to irk the White House.
They come on the eve of crucial talks this weekend between Putin and US President George W. Bush at the Bush family home in Maine, where the two will seek to thaw their recently frosty relationship.
After Russia, Chavez plans to go on to Belarus and Iran, where both governments are portrayed by Washington as outlaw regimes.
Chavez said ahead of his Russia visit that weapons deals were high on his agenda. Last year he signed deals with Russia worth three billion dollars (2.2 billion euros) for helicopter gunships, fighter planes and rifles.
Energy cooperation could also feature on the Chavez-Putin agenda as both countries are in the midst of a boom, driven by thriving energy exports.
Chavez said last week he might purchase Russian submarines, but there has never been confirmation of this.
The Venezuelan leader has also said he hopes to put the "finishing touches" on an agreement to purchase from Belarus an integrated air defense system with a 200-300-kilometer (125-200 miles) range.
Little is known about Chavez's plans in Iran, which Bush once described as part of an "axis of evil" and which is now locked in an international dispute over its nuclear ambitions.
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