CARACAS (Reuters) - Several Russian ships and 1,000 soldiers will take part in joint naval maneuvers with Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea later this year, exercises likely to increase diplomatic tensions with Washington, a pro-government newspaper reported on Saturday.(visit the link for the full news article)
Quoting Venezuela's naval intelligence director, Salbarore Cammarata, the newspaper Vea said four Russian boats would visit Venezuelan waters from November 10 to 14.
Plans for the naval operations come at a time of heightened diplomatic tension and Cold War-style rhetoric between Moscow and the United States over the recent war in Georgia and plans for a U.S. missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an outspoken critic of Washington, has said in recent weeks that Russian ships and planes are welcome to visit the South American country.
Originally posted by The_Alarmist2012
reply to post by stumason
Russia seems to be solidifying its ties with Iran and Syria, basically every enemy of the USA.
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.
Originally posted by The_Alarmist2012
reply to post by stumason
Russia seems to be solidifying its ties with Iran and Syria, basically every enemy of the USA.
While it may seem to be something else, it is all about dominance over oil and natural gas, whichever (USA or Russia) can achieve dominance over the world's oil producing nations will then have control and/or influence over all nations dependant on that oil.
Who is being more aggressive in that regard?
USA or Russia?
Ultimately it will likely lead to some kind of serious conflict between the west and Russia.
Nicaragua is preparing to officially recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Nicaraguan officials said on Thursday.
"We have started preparing all the necessary documentation for an official recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia following instructions issued by the president," Nicaraguan Deputy Foreign Minister Manuel Coronel Kautz has said as cited by Ria Novosti.
"Nicaragua recognizes the independence of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia and fully supports the Russian government's position," President Daniel Ortega previously declared.
Nicaragua would become the first country after Russia to recognize the two republics as independent states.
