President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday that Russia would sell weapons to its "friend" Venezuela, but did not say whether a visit by the country's leader Hugo Chavez led to any specific arms deals. "These sorts of contracts are never signed in public," he told reporters after meeting Chavez at a Russian presidential residence outside Moscow.
"We will supply Venezuela the weapons that Venezuela asks for. In accordance with all international law, of course," Medvedev added. Responding to reports that Russia would sell tanks to the Latin American country, Medvedev said: "Why not tanks? Without question, we have good tanks. If our friends want our tanks, we will deliver them."
Chavez, a firebrand leftist who has repeatedly criticised the United States, said Venezuela was building up its military with Moscow's help but insisted that this was not directed against any other country. "Previously, we were in slavery thanks to the actions of the Yankee empire, and now what we're doing is increasing our military potential," he said. "We have signed deals with the Russian government. However, these deals are not directed at anyone."
Following the Medvedev-Chavez talks, the Russian and Venezuelan defence ministries signed an agreement whose details were not released. Separately, a consortium of Russian oil companies and Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA signed an agreement establishing a joint venture to develop the Junin 6 oil field along Venezuela's Orinoco River.
Russian media reports ahead of Chavez's visit said Venezuela was seeking to buy T-72 and T-90 tanks, Kilo-class diesel-powered submarines, BMP-3 armoured vehicles, Mi-28 helicopters and land-based anti-ship missiles. In recent years Venezuela has signed over four billion dollars' worth of arms contracts with Russia, and last November its navy held joint exercises with Russian warships in the Caribbean, traditionally seen as a US domain.