MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Russian interest in South American Defence Council

Russian Security Council chairman Nikolay Patruscev

Russia officially requested its incorporation as observer to the Union of South American Nations Defence Council, CDS announced on Tuesday Argentina's Defence Ministry.

The request was presented by Russian Security Council chairman Nikolay Patruscev during a meeting held with Minister Nilda Garré.

"The Russian delegation showed an interest in the development of the South American Defence Council from the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, and the Latinamerican Peace Operations Training Centres and asked the incorporation of Russia to both organizations as an observer", according to the official release. Unasur became official last May in Brazil and is made up of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela. At the same meeting in Brasilia is was agreed to support the creation of a South American Defence Council with the purpose of exchanging defence experiences, organize joint military exercises with country members and reinforce the peace missions from the region's Armed Forces. The council which is in the making would not be a formal military alliance such as NATO but rather a dialogue instance for Defence ministers and governments to agree on a regional defence policy, according to organizers. During the meeting Garré and Patruscev considered the possibility of increasing collaboration with Russia in defence and said it would be a "most important component" of the summit to be held between the two countries presidents when Mrs. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner visits Moscow at the end of the year. Parallel to CDS Argentina and Russia agreed to a meeting of defence experts next November 4th in Buenos Aires, in preparation for the meeting of the Technical-military Joint Cooperation Commission scheduled for November 17/18. Another issue on the agenda was the possibility of purchasing Russian heavy duty helicopters, particularly for Antarctic operations, as well as considering Argentine pilots as candidates for astronauts.