MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez and Putin agree to defend independence and sovereignty of Syria and Iran

Venezuela has become the main buyer of Russian military equipment (Photo file)

The sovereignty of Syria and Iran should be defended against 'foreign interferences' and from the siege of ‘colonial powers’ Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin agreed during a telephone conversation, according to the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs ministry.

The two leaders agreed on the need to craft a common approach to defend “the independence and sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran, against the harassment and interference by foreign powers” added the Venezuela release.

While Chavez has openly expressed support for the beleaguered Syrian president Bachar al Asad, Moscow opposes any foreign intervention and the use of force against Syria as happened in Libya, and advanced that it will reject any UN resolution proposal that includes sanctions against the regime.

In bilateral issues the Venezuelan release underlines the strength of the strategic links between both countries which ended 2011 with trade having reached 1.4 billion dollars.

Putin pointed out as great achievements of 2011 the recent launching of the Russian-Venezuelan bi-national bank and the advance of technical-military cooperation. According to the Russian corporation for the export of military equipment, Venezuela in the last five years has spent 11 billion dollars becoming the main client for Russian arms in Latin America.

The Kremlin leader also confirmed that Russian companies will be investing in the development of the huge shale deposits in the Orinoco basin.

Finally Putin congratulated Chavez on his marathon presentation before the National Assembly of the ‘state of the Nation’ which lasted for nine hours and was described as an “exemplary democratic exercise”.