MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez to sign air defense contracts with Byelorussia

Venezuela and Byelorussia will be signing military contracts for over a billion US dollars before the end of July announced the chair of the Byelorussian Security Council who also heads the bilateral economic cooperation committee.

"In military cooperation we have several contracts agreed with the Venezuelan Ministry of Defence and approved by President Hugo Chavez", said Victor Sheiman on his return to Minsk after having visited with a business delegation Caracas where 18 trade and economic cooperation agreements were signed. Last year Sheiman had anticipated the signing of military contracts with Venezuela, valued over a billion US dollars which would ensure work for dozens of Byelorussian factories for several years according to reports in the Minsk publication Byelorussian Market. Apparently Venezuela was interested in automatic systems for air defense and directing Army units since the Chavez administration has underlined the need to protect air borders from the Caribbean to Brazil. The air defense systems range from the portable land-air to the S300 missiles. The Venezuelan Army had also shown an interest in equipment related to the Kalashnikov assault rifle after having acquired the production licences. Sheiman also announced that Byelorussia would be involved in commercial oil extraction in Venezuela having been granted two deposits with infrastructure and proven reserves. Both countries also agreed on a fund for joint development projects with an initial Venezuelan contribution of 500 million US dollars. Last June President Chavez visited Byelorussia for the second time.