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Putin expects Russia, Venezuela to continue strategic cooperation

Putin called Venezuela Russia’s key partner in Latin America

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, July 2 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin expects that Russia and Venezuela will continue strategic cooperation after the death of President Hugo Chavez who was one of its originators.

“We confirmed with Mr. Maduro a common bid to ensure the continuity of the course towards strategic cooperation between Russia and Venezuela on all directions,” the president told reporters after talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He stressed that “a big and sincere friend of Russia, courageous and strong person - President Hugo Chavez, was one of its originators”. “Russia remembers him and reveres his memory,” the Russian leader pledged.

Putin called Venezuela Russia’s key partner in Latin America. “In January-April 2013 trade grew already threefold. Of course several major deals contributed a lot - supplies within the framework of military-technical cooperation and supplies of industrial equipment, but still the general positive tendency is obvious,” Putin stressed.

He mentioned several investment projects in the energy sphere - oil production at the Hunin-6 oilfield, supplies of gas-turbine power units for electric power stations under construction, as well as projects in other spheres - the setting up of a joint venture with KAMAZ to produce trucks and buses, the transportation of Venezuelan oil by Russia’s Sovkomflot shipping company, as well as the construction of social housing in Venezuela.

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