Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke Tuesday after a meeting in Moscow with Venezuela's foreign minister, saying the country's arms sales to Venezuela are meant for defensive purposes. He told a state-run newspaper that Russia and Venezuela have no plans to attack anybody, suggesting a joint attack on the United States was "unimaginable."
Russia has stepped up ties with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, is sending a naval squadron to Venezuela for exercises next month in a show of force near the United States and announced a $1 billion credit for arms purchases last month.
- 13:55Palestinian charged with carrying out deadly Gilo stabbing
- 13:35US dollar trades for over 4 shekels for first time in almost a year
- 13:33Barak calls on West to reconcile with Russia and China and unite against Iran
- 13:31Likud would win if elections were held today
- 12:39Germany bans Hizbullah's Al-Manar satellite television station
- 12:35Iraqi FM: US-Iraqi security pact can still pass
- 12:34Arab officials meet in Egypt over piracy
- 12:33Report: Iran to continue work with UN nuke agency
- 12:31Barak: Qassams result of IDF operations
- 09:00Former top officials urge stronger ties to UN
- 08:59Report: Olmert, Barak called to emergency meeting with Jordanian king
- 08:58Rightists throw turpentine on soldier in Hebron
- 08:57Explosion kills Hamas man in Gaza, witnesses say
- 08:57Syrian youth arrested in Golan Heights
- 08:56IDF detains 21 Palestinians in West Bank
