26.09.2008 // ITAR-TASS
Russia is ready to consider a possibility of cooperation with Venezuela in the civilian use of atomic energy, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday as he received visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the government’s countryside residence of Novo-Ogaryovo.
“We’re ready to consider a joint use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes,” he said.
On a more general plane, he pointed out to the prospects for economic cooperation opening up before Russia and Venezuela, “I’m glad to point out that Gazprom is due to launch the first drilling rig in the Gulf of Venezuela at end-October,” Putin said. “The new prospects opening before us embrace power engineering, high technologies, machine-building, and petrochemical industry.”
He also underlined fair prospects that cooperation between Russian corporations and the Venezuelan State Oil Company has inside Venezuela and on the markets of third countries.
“I’d like to note the progress of our relations in all areas, and our agreements are translated into life step by step,” Putin said.
Russia plans full-scale implementation of agreements on cooperation between Russian and Venezuelan naval forces, he said.
“We hope to fully implement agreements on cooperation between our naval forces,” Putin said. “A detachment of Russian ships is currently on its way to the Atlantic, and we’re ready to discuss further cooperation in defense-related technologies.”
“We couldn’t help thanking you for the warm reception that Venezuela gave to the crews of our strategic missile-carrying jets that stayed for several days in your country,” he said.
Chavez gave regards to Putin from the Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
He said the was writing a letter to Fidel, his political friend, right when his jet was about to land in Moscow, and Fidel and his brother Raul asked him in return to give warm regards to Putin.
Chavez thanked his interlocutor for the warm reception he had received in Moscow and for the invitation to visit Russia.
“Thank you dear friend for doing this,” Chavez said adding jokingly he was glad this trip fell on a time different from Russia’s frosty winter.
“I’m very glad you’ve found it possible to come to Russia again,” Putin said. “You have an extensive trip with an itinerary that includes several countries. And it’s especially good to know that you decided to draft your routes across Russia.”
Chavez said he was generally satisfied with the rates at which bilateral cooperation is developing.
He recalled the warning by Latin America’s hero Simon Bolivar who said once that the world would be moving forward at a fast pace.
“And if our two countries don’t move ahead at the same pace, they’ll simply sink,” Chavez said. “But contrary to that, our dynamics enables us to keep afloat.”
Putin said on his part that Latin America is turning into a notable element in the rising multipolar world. “We’ll continue increasing our attention to this vector of Russia’s foreign policy,” he said.
