Anti Empire Arming

Chavez seeks $3 bln Russian arms deal

Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:52am ET

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez slammed the United States as the "biggest threat" to the world on Thursday, as he sought up to $3 billion in Russian arms deals that have provoked Washington's ire.

Chavez, a constant critic of Washington, praised President Vladimir Putin for defying a U.S. arms blockade and hit out at Washington for its foreign policy.

"The biggest threat which exists in the world is the empire of the United States," Chavez said while unveiling a bust of 19th-century South American liberation hero Simon Bolivar at a Moscow library.


"It is a senseless, blind, stupid giant which doesn't understand the world, doesn't understand human rights, doesn't understand anything about humanity, culture and consciousness."

Chavez had been expected to sign $1 billion in arms deals but Vedomosti daily, quoting Sergei Chemezov, head of Russian state arms trader Rosoboronexport, reported that Venezuela, the world's No.5 oil exporter, would sign deals worth $3 billion.

On top of an expected deal to buy at least 24 Russian Sukhoi-30 jets to replace Venezuela's U.S. F-16s, Chavez will buy helicopters, surface-to-air missiles and possibly even a submarine, Vedomosti said, citing Russian defense sources.

Putin, after talks with Chavez in the Kremlin, said he "welcomes the intentions of Venezuela to occupy a place in the U.N. Security Council as a non-permanent member," Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The positions of Russia and Venezuela on the majority of international problems are close or coincide," said a senior Kremlin official, who asked not to be identified.

Washington has banned U.S. arms manufacturers from selling to Chavez. The United States says the populist leader, who proclaims socialist ideals to unite South America against U.S. influence, is destabilizing the region.

U.S. officials said they hoped to talk Russia out of the arms deals. Senior Kremlin officials say they see no reason to take advice from the United States.

The Kremlin official said Chavez would discuss energy with Putin. Russia, not an OPEC member, is the world's biggest natural gas producer and the world's second largest oil exporter.


"Venezuela for us is a natural partner," Putin said at the start of the meeting with Chavez. "I am very happy our companies are working to find joint solutions in the energy sector."

The deal to buy Sukhoi-30 jets was worth nearly $1.5 billion, when all the necessary armaments and support technology was included, Vedomosti said, citing a source in the Russian aerospace industry.

It also cited an unidentified Russian Defense Ministry source as saying that Venezuela would buy short-range TOR-M1 tactical surface-to-air missiles. Russia's plans to sell Iran the same missiles have angered Washington.

Chavez is on a world tour that has included meetings with U.S. foes such as Cuba's Fidel Castro and Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko. He will also visit Iran.

Original article posted here.