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Venezuela offers use of air base to Russia: Chavez
Caracas (AFP) March 15, 2009 Venezuela has offered Russia unlimited use of an air base off its Caribbean coast, President Hugo Chavez said Sunday -- the latest step to boost military ties between the two countries. "I told (Russian) President (Dmitry) Medvedev that any time Russia's strategic aircraft need to land in Venezuela to meet their strategic aims, Venezuela will be at their service," Chavez said. Chavez's comments -- made during his weekly television program "Hello Mr. President" -- follow Russian media reports that Moscow had been offered the use of the Caribbean island base La Orchila. On Saturday, Russian air force general Anatoly Zhikharev told the Interfax-AVN military news agency that Russia could seek the short-term use of bases in Cuba and Venezuela, indicating permanent bases in the region were not under consideration. Chavez also ruled out permanent facilities: "they keep on saying that I offered La Orchila to the Russians, you know that is not true," he told viewers. The bases could be used for logistics stops on long-distance bomber patrols, which Russia resumed in August 2007 after a 15-year hiatus. Last year, Russia temporarily based a pair of Tu-160 bombers at an airbase in Venezuela in a carefully-choreographed display of force regarded by as a warning message to the United States. Each aircraft is capable of carrying 12 cruise missiles that can be fitted with nuclear warheads. Zhikharev said Cuba had a several air bases equipped with the long runways needed by the heavy bombers and said the facilities there were "entirely acceptable" for use by the Russian aircraft during long-distance patrols. In November, Russian warships held joint maneuvers in Venezuela with the Venezuelan Navy -- activity not seen in the area since the Cold War -- in defiance of the United States, the region's military powerhouse. A Russian flotilla led by the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great also joined Venezuelan navy vessels for maneuvers in the Caribbean late last year, timed to coincide with a visit to the region by President Medvedev. The previous US administration of George W. Bush officially shrugged off the Russian aviation and naval moves in Latin America, characterizing them as more for show than anything representing a military worry for the United States. Last July however, a top US air force officer warned that Russia would cross "a red line" if it were to base nuclear-capable bombers in Cuba. "If they did, I think we should stand strong and indicate that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United States of America," said General Norton Schwartz said on July 23. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Missile tests a tried and tested NKorea tactic: analysts
Seoul (AFP) March 15, 2009Critics call them provocative and a threat to regional peace but North Korea sees its missile tests as a sure-fire way of grabbing Washington's attention, analysts say. |
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