Hugo Chavez goes to Russia, Iran and Belarus to Get Arms :: Charter'97 :: News

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez goes to a foreign trip. He is to visit Russia, Belarus and Iran. As said by Venezuelan leader, he is set to discuss “topics of a high strategic level in Moscow which are related to sovereignty, defense and integrity” of the Latin American Republic. In Minsk Chavez is set to view “final details” of a contract which would allow Venezuela get “complex air defense systems” with a range of 200-300 km.

The program of the visit to Russia, Hugo Chavez said, includes a meeting with businessmen, a visit to the Russian State Duma, and a voyage to the south Russia. According to reports, he is to fly to Rostov-on-Don. He can visit a helicopter plant where armored helicopter gunships delivered to Venezuela under Rosoboronexport contract are produced, ITAR-TASS informs.

Issues of military and technical cooperation are to be discussed by Venezuelan delegation in Minsk later as well. Chavez has 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 range.

Venezuelan president denied versions of “nuclear underpinning” for his visit to Teheran as the press alleged. Earlier Minister of Basic and Mining industry Jose Khan told to journalists, summing up the results of a working group meeting on Venezuelan leader visit to Iran that “the Venezuelan side is set to offer Iranian colleagues to sign concrete projects on strategic cooperation, including creation of special zones on technical informational exchange”.

Hugo Chavez explains the numerous varied comments on his trip in international press by the fact that the so-called "Bolivarian Revolution" in Venezuela “has great influence on ideas and processes in America and worldwide”.