Viva Las Espuelas
09-08-2008, 01:05 PM
(CNN) -- Russian ships will make a port of call in Venezuela later this year, and the two nations could hold joint naval exercises for the first time, both sides said.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscow's conflict with the former Soviet republic of Georgia last month.
Russia denied any link between the two events, although Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been a sharp critic of President Bush.
"This is a planned event unrelated to the current political situation and Caucasian developments," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Monday. "The exercises will not be targeted against any third party."
The agreement on the Russian visit to Venezuelan ports was reached long before the conflict in the Caucasus broke out, he said.
But Nesterenko appeared to suggest Monday that Russia had proposed the joint naval maneuvers.
"If the Venezuelan side finds the proposal interesting and an agreement is reached, Russia and Venezuela may hold joint naval exercises in line with international practice," he said.
Wayne S. Smith of the Center for International Policy said it would be no surprise if the exercises go ahead.
"The Russians have complained about U.S. warships operating in the Black Sea, which is an area of intense interest to them. It would not be surprising if they returned the favor by having joint exercises in the Caribbean," said Smith, a 25-year foreign service veteran who ended his State Department career as chief of the U.S. Interest Section in Havana, Cuba.
"It's a way of saying: 'Two can play at this game. If you think you can send ships into the Black Sea without response, you are mistaken.' "
Russian ships operating in the Western Hemisphere would not necessarily be dangerous, according to Smith.
"The act itself is not. Having naval exercises? Fine, as long as both sides take it for what it is. It's not a threatening gesture; it's a message," he said.
Chavez said Sunday that Caracas was prepared to receive the Russians in late November or December, according Venezuela's Ministry of Communications.
But he indicated Venezuela (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Venezuela) might not be prepared for military exercises by then.
"We're only in the planning phase. We're not ready yet for the visit and the probable maneuvers to happen in September or October, or even November. So it could happen, if not at the end of November, then at the beginning of December," he said.
Nesterenko said the Russian flotilla will include "the heavy nuclear-propelled missile cruiser Pyotr Veliki and the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Chabanenko."
The announcement comes days after a U.S. Navy command ship, the USS Whitney, arrived in the Georgian (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Republic_of_Georgia) port town of Poti in what the United States called a humanitarian mission. The ship reached Poti on Friday.
Russia (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Russia) said that a military vessel being used in a relief mission raises concerns.
Russia has become a major supplier of arms to Venezuela since 2001. The two countries signed a series of deals worth $3 billion in 2006, including fighter aircraft, transport and attack helicopters, and assault rifles, according to Jane's, the defense intelligence publication.
In July, Chavez (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Hugo_Chavez) visited Moscow for his first meeting with new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/08/russia.venezuela/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscow's conflict with the former Soviet republic of Georgia last month.
Russia denied any link between the two events, although Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been a sharp critic of President Bush.
"This is a planned event unrelated to the current political situation and Caucasian developments," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Monday. "The exercises will not be targeted against any third party."
The agreement on the Russian visit to Venezuelan ports was reached long before the conflict in the Caucasus broke out, he said.
But Nesterenko appeared to suggest Monday that Russia had proposed the joint naval maneuvers.
"If the Venezuelan side finds the proposal interesting and an agreement is reached, Russia and Venezuela may hold joint naval exercises in line with international practice," he said.
Wayne S. Smith of the Center for International Policy said it would be no surprise if the exercises go ahead.
"The Russians have complained about U.S. warships operating in the Black Sea, which is an area of intense interest to them. It would not be surprising if they returned the favor by having joint exercises in the Caribbean," said Smith, a 25-year foreign service veteran who ended his State Department career as chief of the U.S. Interest Section in Havana, Cuba.
"It's a way of saying: 'Two can play at this game. If you think you can send ships into the Black Sea without response, you are mistaken.' "
Russian ships operating in the Western Hemisphere would not necessarily be dangerous, according to Smith.
"The act itself is not. Having naval exercises? Fine, as long as both sides take it for what it is. It's not a threatening gesture; it's a message," he said.
Chavez said Sunday that Caracas was prepared to receive the Russians in late November or December, according Venezuela's Ministry of Communications.
But he indicated Venezuela (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Venezuela) might not be prepared for military exercises by then.
"We're only in the planning phase. We're not ready yet for the visit and the probable maneuvers to happen in September or October, or even November. So it could happen, if not at the end of November, then at the beginning of December," he said.
Nesterenko said the Russian flotilla will include "the heavy nuclear-propelled missile cruiser Pyotr Veliki and the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Chabanenko."
The announcement comes days after a U.S. Navy command ship, the USS Whitney, arrived in the Georgian (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Republic_of_Georgia) port town of Poti in what the United States called a humanitarian mission. The ship reached Poti on Friday.
Russia (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Russia) said that a military vessel being used in a relief mission raises concerns.
Russia has become a major supplier of arms to Venezuela since 2001. The two countries signed a series of deals worth $3 billion in 2006, including fighter aircraft, transport and attack helicopters, and assault rifles, according to Jane's, the defense intelligence publication.
In July, Chavez (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Hugo_Chavez) visited Moscow for his first meeting with new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/08/russia.venezuela/index.html?iref=mpstoryview