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Last Updated: Sep 8, 2008 - 8:35:59 AM |
Venezuela says it plans to hold joint naval exercises in its
territorial waters with Russian forces in November.
A senior Venezuelan naval officer said four Russian ships would take
part in the exercises, which would also involve Venezuelan aircraft and
submarines.
Correspondents say the move is likely to raise concern in the US, whose
relations with Russia have been soured by Moscow's recent conflict in
Georgia.
Washington already has rocky relations with Venezuela's President Hugo
Chavez.
In July, he called for a strategic alliance with Russia to protect
Venezuela from the US.
Caracas and Moscow agreed to extend bilateral co-operation on energy,
with three Russian energy companies to be allowed to operate in
Venezuela.
Regional first
On Saturday, Venezuela's Rear Admiral Salbatore Cammarata Bastidas said
four Russian ships and 1,000 Russian troops would take part in
exercises in Venezuelan territorial waters from 10 to 14 November.
"This is of great importance because it is the first time it is being
done (in the Americas)," he said in a statement quoted by the AFP news
agency and local media.
President Chavez supported Russia's intervention in Georgia last month
and has accused Washington of being scared of Moscow's "new world
potential".
Earlier, US Vice-President Dick Cheney launched a furious attack on
Russia over the recent conflict in the Caucasus.
Mr Cheney described Moscow's actions against Georgia as an affront to
civilised standards and said it was reverting back to old Soviet
tactics of intimidation and the use of brute force.
He added that Russia was also seeking to use its energy resources as a
weapon.
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
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