BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

26/03/2007

Chavez to Buy Anti-Aircraft Missiles from Lukashenko

Venezuela is considering the purchase of anti-aircraft missile systems from Belarus, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported Monday quoting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

"We are now in talk with the Belarusian party," the president said in a television interview. Mr. Chavez emphasized that Venezuela needs a modern anti-aircraft defense system, adding that the purchases in China and Belarus will make up for an embargo that the United States introduced on arms exports to Venezuela last May.

Venezuela's parliament ratified a deal with Belarus, declaring plans to advance military and technical cooperation between the two countries. The deal mentions collaboration in "production, modernization and Belarusian arms supplies for land forces, military aircrafts and anti-aircraft missile systems".

The agreement, which also provides for servicing and supplies of spare parts and, will open the way for joint development of arms, communications and digital equipment.

Media reported earlier that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko visited the Military Academy in the Belarusian capital of Minsk last July where the local Tetraedr company showed to them the Pechora-2T and Osa-1T modernized anti-aircraft missiles.

Source:

http://www.kommersant.com/p-10391/Venezuela_Belarus_Missiles/