Photostream : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez meets Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) greets his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez during a welcoming ceremony in Tehran on October 19, 2010. (Photo : ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez stand at attention during the playing of the national anthems during an official welcoming ceremony in Tehran October 19, 2010. (Getty Images / REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi )

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, left, gestures, as he is welcomed by his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during an official welcoming ceremony, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is holding talks with Iranian leaders expected to focus on boosting cooperation between the countries' oil, gas and petrochemical industries. Writing on banner at background in Farsi and Spanish reads "Welcome". (Getty Images / AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Russia agrees to build nuclear plant in Venezuela

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez speak during a signing ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, on October 15, 2010. Moscow is the first stop for Chavez on a major international tour aimed at strengthening trade ties with several countries in eastern Europe and the Middle East, including Iran and Libya. (Photo : NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images)

October 16, 2010 (KATAKAMI / DDINEWS.GOV.IN) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reached a deal with Russia on Friday to build the South American country’s first nuclear plant, as questions arose why a nation rich in oil and gas would feel the need to venture into atomic energy. 

The two nations also signed other energy agreements. 

Russia has cultivated close ties with Chavez’s government to expand its global clout and counter US influence in Latin America.

Russia plans to build two 1,200 megawatt nuclear reactors at the Venezuelan plant. 

The cost of Friday’s nuclear deal wasn’t immediately announced.

The deal is likely to raise concern in President Barack Obama’s administration but continues a pattern of Russia pressing to export its nuclear expertise. 

It’s talking with Indian officials about building a dozen of nuclear reactors there and also wants to build a nuclear reactor in the Czech Republic.

Russia has just completed Iran’s first nuclear power plant and recently reached new deals to build nuclear reactors in China and Turkey.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sought to pre-empt questions about why Venezuela would need nuclear power by saying the deal would help Caracas reduce its dependence on global market fluctuations.
“I don’t know who will shudder at this,” Medvedev said at a news conference after the signing. 

“The president (of Venezuela) said there will be nations that will have different emotions about that, but I would like to emphasise that our intentions are absolutely pure and open: We want our partner Venezuela to have a full range of energy possibilities.”

Venezuela relies on hydroelectric power for most of its electricity, and a severe drought last year and in early 2010 pushed the water level at country’s largest hydroelectric dam to perilous lows. 

The lower levels, combined with a lack of adequate upgrades to the power grid, prompted rationing measures for a time, including rolling blackouts.

Chavez says nuclear power is part of his government’s plans for diversifying its energy sources.

Russia to deliver 35 tanks to Venezuela - Putin

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, are seen during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Oct. 15, 2010 Chavez has reached a deal with Russia on Friday to build the South American country's first nuclear plant and negotiated other energy agreements. (GETTY IMAGES / AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

October 15, 2010 (KATAKAMI / RIA NOVOSTI) --- Russia will soon supply another shipment of tanks to Venezuela, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday.

"Thirty-five tanks will be delivered soon," he said.

Putin also said Venezuela is Russia's "reliable partner."

Chavez said the two states would speed up military cooperation. Venezuela is building a plant to manufacture Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Since 2005, Venezuela has bought over $4 billion worth of Russian weapons, including warplanes, helicopters, and Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Earlier on Friday, Russia and Venezuela signed an agreement on the construction of a nuclear power station in the South American state. The agreement was reached in April 2010 during Putin's visit to Caracas.

The presidents of Russia and Venezuela, Dmitry Medvedev and Chavez, said on Friday bilateral ties are strengthening.

We are moving onto new agreements on a wide range of projects," Medvedev said at talks in Moscow. "We have a strategic partnership - we are close friends."

Medvedev also said Venezuela acted "like a real friend" when it followed Russia in recognizing the former Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after Chavez's last visit to Russia in September 2009.
Chavez arrived in Moscow on Thursday as part of an international tour that also includes Belarus, Ukraine and Iran.


NOVO-OGARYOVO, October 15 (RIA Novosti)

Talks between Medvedev and Chavez begin in Kremlin

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (right) is holding talks with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez

MOSCOW, October 15 (KATAKAMI / Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is holding talks with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez in the Kremlin. Hugo Chavez arrived in Moscow for a visit on Thursday. 

At present, the talks are being held in the narrow format behind closed doors. 

As is expected, the Moscow meetings will yield a plan of action which will be the basis for cooperation up to 2014. 

The document lists specific cooperation guidelines in such spheres as foreign policy, financial sector, oil and gas industry, military-technical cooperation, nuclear power engineering, telecommunications, agriculture, fishing, transportation, education, health care, tourism, sport, culture, and elimination of natural calamities aftermath.

Photostream : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) welcomes Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez as they meet at the Gorki presidential residence outside Moscow October 14, 2010. (REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Dmitry Astakhov)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, greets Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez during their meeting in the Gorki residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service,pool)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, seen during their meeting in the Gorki residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service,pool)

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) listens to his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez as they meet at the Gorki presidential residence outside Moscow October 14, 2010. (REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Dmitry Astak)