Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Sunday that a series of joint military exercises with Russia, originally scheduled for mid-November, will be postponed. "We are still at the preparatory phase, (and) we are not ready yet for these operations to take place in November," Chavez said during his weekly TV and radio program "Alo, Presidente."
Noting the exercises could be held "at the end of November or December," Chavez said the Venezuelan Armed Forces will be better prepared by then rather than at the originally scheduled time, as a joint anti-drug patrol operation with Brazil was slated for Nov 2-14. "We do everything in a transparent form, and we emphasize that Venezuela is a strategic ally of Moscow ... Venezuela is free (to make its own decisions)," said Chavez in reaction to opposition criticisms that the maneuvers will bring Russian bases, nuclear submarines and atomic bombs to Venezuelan territory. "Russia's naval fleet is welcome here," he said.
Venezuela has launched joint military operations with various nations. The upcoming Venezuela-Russia operation will be the first of its kind in the Americas. The Venezuelan Navy and Air Force will work with four Russian warships with some 1,000 soldiers aboard in the exercises in the Venezuelan territorial waters, according to earlier reports citing senior officials of the Venezuelan military. Since Chavez took office, Venezuela has boosted its military cooperation with Russia.
No comments:
Post a Comment