Russia and Venezuela pursue nuclear, arms cooperation

~~Adz:Left~~ CARACAS, Venezuela-THE Russian and Venezuelan presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Hugo Chavez, last week agreed to increase support between the two countries in the areas of arms sales and energy, potentially including nuclear power development.

Making his second visit to Russia in as many months, Chavez presided over the signing of a deal for increased oil and gas cooperation between the countries’ national energy companies, Petroleos de Venezuela and Gazprom.

Speaking on Venezuelan national television after the deal, Chavez said that his country would also be interested in future nuclear cooperation.

“We certainly are interested in developing nuclear energy, for peaceful ends of course -- for medical purposes and to generate electricity,” he said, citing that other South American nations already have these programs in place.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also commented after the visit, saying that “Russia is ready to look at the possibility of cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy”, but declined to comment further on any specifics.

In the past, the United States has been strongly opposed to post-Soviet Union Russia sharing its superior nuclear technology with other nations.

Additionally, it was reported by the Interfax News Agency that a deal was reached between Russia and Venezuela which would entail the loaning of US $1 billion to the latter country for future weapons purchases.

A number of Sukhoi fighter jets, Kalashnikov assault rifles and missile defense systems are speculated to be near the top of the Venezuela purchase list.

The announcement of further military cooperation comes on the heels of a fleet of Russian warships and two Tu-160 nuclear bombers traveling to Venezuela to conduct “training exercises” in the area.

Chavez has called the ramped up military training “a warning…to the empire”, which is his common moniker for Venezuela’s ideological enemy to the north, the United States.