Russia may offer Chavez weapons financing

MOSCOW, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Moscow could offer Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a loan to help him purchase Russian weapons, a senior Kremlin official says.

Chief Russian foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko said the Kremlin hasn't ruled out a loan to Venezuela as Chavez arrived in Moscow Wednesday and prepared to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev, RIA Novosti reported.

But, he told reporters, there would be no arms deals struck during Thursday's summit, even though Chavez has said he intends to buy Russian tanks to counter plans by the United States to establish bases in neighboring Colombia. Instead, about 10 other agreements crafted to improve cooperation between the two countries would be signed, Prikhodko told the news agency.

Medvedev press secretary Natalya Timakova told reporters the two heads of state would sign a cooperation agreement in the oil and natural gas sphere, ITAR-TASS reported.

"There are plans for the conclusion of documents and agreements on oil and gas cooperation, on ecology in the oil and gas industry, and also an agreement between the Justice Ministries," Timakova said.