NOVOSIBIRSK. March 6 (Interfax) - The change of government in Venezuela will not affect the implementation of Russian-Venezuelan agreements and contracts, says Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov.
"After all, we signed contracts with a state, and therefore our Venezuelan partners bear federal commitments. I don't have any concerns," Manturov said in reply to a question from Interfax on Wednesday.
Russia is saddened by the death of President Hugo Chavez, who has done a lot for his country, he said.
"We hope that, with the change of government [in Venezuela], we will preserve constructive and warm relations with this country. We don't see any reasons to be worried," he said.
Russia and Venezuela have pursued active cooperation, primarily in the energy and arms supplies sectors.
During Chavez's rule, Russia joined Venezuela's major oil project at Junin block 6, for which Rosneft, Lukoil, Surgutneftegas, TNK-BP, and Gazprom Neft put together the Oil National Consortium. Rosneft also significantly expanded its presence in Venezuela under Chavez.
In 2012, the Russian government endorsed an agreement with Venezuela on cooperation in the development of the nuclear power industry, construction and operation of a research reactor, and a nuclear power plant in the country. It was reported that the two countries had signed an intergovernmental agreement back in 2010. It was said then that Russia could build a 4 GWt VVER reactor-based nuclear power plant in Venezuela by 2020 and a research reactor for producing isotopes to be used in medicine, industry and agriculture.
The countries also signed a framework agreement on cooperation in civilian utilization of nuclear energy in 2008. The Russian state corporation Rosatom said then that it could join geological prospecting cooperation to explore the extraction of natural uranium in that country.
Russia and Venezuela have also signed quite a wide-ranging package of weapons contracts, under which Caracas is buying latest Su-30MK2 fighters, Mi-35 helicopters, and other weapons from Russia. The Russian state arms export agency Rosoboronexport estimates these contracts at $11 billion.