MOSCOW, April 18 (AVN) - Defence Ministers Sergei Ivanov of Russia and Jose Rangel of Venezuela met here on Wednesday to discuss bilateral military and military-technical co-operation, a spokesman for the Russian Defence Ministry told the Military News Agency.
Rangel arrived in Moscow to supervise preparations for the Russian visit of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The talks between the defence ministers started at 12.00 Moscow time (0800 GMT), the spokesman said. They also involve Russian Deputy Defence Minister Mikhail Dmitriyev, Colonel General Valentin Korabelnikov, head of the General Staff main intelligence department, Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, head of the Defence Ministry main department of international military co-operation, officials of the Rosoboronexport state-owned arms trader and directors of several defence industry enterprises.
In his opening remarks, Ivanov said that the Russian-Velezuelan relations have acquired a new dynamics recently. There is a possibility to discuss prospects of military-technical co-operation and sign some agreements in the future, he said.