Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (left) tries to make an impression on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with the motion of his finger.
Photo: AP
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Chavez Offers His Hand and Heart
// And asks Putin for arms
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev received Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Meiendorf Castle and, several hours later, Chavez met with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the residence at Novo-Ogarevo. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov observed that Chavez reached an agreement with the president on large Russian oil company’s development of the rich mouth of the Orinoco River and then continued on to talk about sales of Russian military hardware with the prime minister.
Chavez raised his hands up when he saw Medvedev, but he didn’t try to hug him, obviously recalling the bitter experience about a year ago of having Putin slip through his arms. When Chavez had arrived from Minsk, where he and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held meetings and jostled each other for several days, he apparently expected the same reception he got in Belarus from a kindred spirit.
Medvedev was quite animated. It looked as though seeing Chavez put him in a good mood. They stood for a while, then sat down, they talked a little, then Chavez raised just his hand, and then just his index finger. The last gesture seemed to have been especially so that Venezuela’s one television station (the opposition station was recently closed without warning by decision of the president) could record the historical moment in relations between Venezuela and Russia.
“How are you?” Chavez asked the Russian president.
“I’m fine, Mr. President!” Medvedev responded somewhat taken aback that there should be any doubt about it. “You and I have to optimize trade turnover.”
That was a hint that the current state of trade turnover was unsatisfactory.
“And our relations will be one of the decisive factors guaranteeing security in the region,” Medvedev added.
We can assume that he did not mean the Russian region.
“I am certain that your election as president of Russia guarantees the security and stability of our plans. We observe the rebirth of Russia with great love! I think the world is now living in a complex situation – economically, morally. As Fidel said… He, Fidel, said about the crisis of sensibility in the world.”
It would be strange to expect any other conclusion else from the Cuban leader, who is now in less than ideal physical condition.
“I read your speeches and share your view!” Chavez announced, and the Russian president, I noticed, couldn’t help but smile as he apparently imagined Chavez reading his speeches (probably live over Venezuelan television) in the same manner he was accustomed to reading his own. “I share your view. Evo Morales and Daniel Ortega share it.”
Thus, two minutes into the conversation, the president of Venezuela was able to place the Russian president firmly in the company of true leftist revolutionaries, and again he couldn’t help but smile.
Chavez took that smile close to his heart. “We have come to offer you hand and heart!” he said.
But it would be an unequal marriage.
An hour later, journalists were called into the broader negotiations with ministers and businessmen taking part. Several stacks of documents were placed in front of Chavez. Three people carried them. Apparently that was meant to emphasize the exceptional industriousness of the Venezuelan delegation at the negotiations. The last document they laid in front of the Chavez had the pictures and names of all the Russian ministers and businessmen participating in the negotiations.
“I welcome our Venezuelan comrades!” Medvedev intoned.
It seems that any other welcome for the Venezuelan comrade would be unimaginable. Members of the Russian delegation looked at Chavez with interest and strange half-smiles. They were aware that they were sitting across from the leader of the world revolution that is the last thing they need.
“Our minister of press and information,” Chavez presented him and added, “He worked for CNN!”
“Doesn’t tht get in the way of his work now?” Medvedev enquired.
“They screened him well there,” Chavez answered, his smile slipping.
After short negotiations in the expanded format, several agreements were signed. Executive director of TNK BP German Khan and Venezuelan Energy Minister and president of the Venezuelan Oil Co. Rafael Ramirez Carreño signed an agreement on joint research of the Ayacucho 2 oil field in the Orinoco River region. When the Venezuelan minister approached the table and wanted to sit down, Medvedev pushed a chair toward him, but Chavez stopped him, apparently enjoying seeing his ministers in awkward situations.
LUKOIL chief Vagit Alekperov also signed an agreement on developing a deposit in the Orinoco River region, as did deputy head of Gazprom Alexander Medvedev. Ten minutes later, I think Chavez realized that the oil belt along the Orinoco River no longer belongs to him. I think it is now in danger of nationalization.
Commenting on that situation, Chavez said many joint ventures will be formed at the mouth of the river. Medvedev was extremely careful of what he said about his first meeting with the Venezuelan leader.
“We have a common task of making the surrounding world secure and democratic,” Medvedev said.
That is probably not what the Venezuelan president expected him to say. There is a war in his head that obviously doesn’t stop for a second, and it flared up with renewed force at the short press conference.
“I have been president of Venezuela for almost ten years and am in Russia not for the first time,” Chavez said. “And perhaps for the first time I feel warm and cordial here.”
That was a brave thing to say, if only because he had to meet Putin in Novo-Ogarevo after that.
“Thank you to all the journalists and photographers who took pictures of us so quickly, almost like shooting guns.”
There was no one else for him to thank. After that, with seeming relief, Chavez started talking about how the hegemony of one country in the world had to be broken and the world made multipolar (with Venezuela, of course, as one of those poles), and that would guarantee peace in the world.
Without waiting for more questions, Chavez declared that the Russian ruble should be made a world currency. After everything else he had said, that was logical.
“We even suggested OPEC drop the dollar,” he added (obviously so it could adopt the ruble). “Ten years ago, we were on the zero level along with Russia.” Medvedev stopped looking at him with that strange smile and turned away. “But now we, Venezuela and other Latin American countries, are creating an inter-American bank and we are freeing Latin America. It is a peaceful liberation!”
A Venezuelan journalist asked Medvedev how he feels about Putin’s proposal “to create a joint venture that would work to lower oil prices” and whether “a gas OPEC” will be created.
“We will work correctly with Venezuela,” Medvedev answered. “That work will not be directed against another state.” He was already talking to someone other than the journalist. “And countries that are in cooperation will win from that collaboration. The price of oil does not depend on the position of one or several states. It is determined by the laws of the world market. Prices shouldn’t obstruct world development. Prices should be just… No decision has been made on a gas OPEC, but it would be wrong to think that the issue has been dropped.”
The Venezuelan delegation applauded madly.
After that, Medvedev gave along answer to a question about Zimbabwe and the hard times being experienced by recently reelected president Robert Mugabe. The question he wanted to answer was: After Hokkaido, where the members of the Eight signed a declaration on conditions in that country, Medvedev was accused of straying from the principles of that declaration. Now he explained those principles and showed that he had not strayed from them, and he may be the only signatory who did not.
After that, the press conference seemed to be over. Chavez didn’t expect it to be. He wanted to talk to journalists. He really wanted to. He thanked everyone for not asking him a single question and left in a huff to try to perk himself up with lunch with Medvedev.
He had an opportunity to make up for it still. He was meeting Putin at Novo-Ogarevo.
Chavez loudly knocked on the open door before entering the office on the second floor of the residence at Novo-Ogarevo. Perhaps he thought Putin was waiting for him right there. Maybe he wanted to catch the prime minister unexpectedly. The Venezuelan president is unpredictable.
Chavez called Putin the prime minister and his friend. He added that he left the Russian presidency with his head held high after eight years. He could hardly repeat what he said to Medvedev, that it was not as comfortable with anyone in Russia as the new president. He was still bothered because he hadn’t been able to speak at the press conference.
He complained to Putin, “We spoke a lot and were delayed, but it wasn’t my fault. Mr. Medvedev talks more than I do.” That was disingenuous. The only person who can talk more than the Venezuelan on the tribune is the great Cuban.
Only here, at the meeting with Putin did Chavez pronounce the phrase “military-technical cooperation.” Since Rostekhnologia chief Sergey Chemezov came from Meiendorf to Novo-Ogarevo, it seemed that the subject would be discussed here.
“First,” Chavez said, “I would like for us to set a date for your visit to Venezuela.”
“Our foreign ministry is working on that professionally,” Putin replied in weak defense of himself. “And it has to be when it is convenient for you.”
“There’s always a lot of work if you do it,” Putin explained. “But if you don’t want to work, you can always find a reason not to.”
The Russian prime minister looked as though he could say a lot more on the topic, but Chavez looked as though he wanted to work right then, that is, talk about everything he didn’t get to say at Meiendorf.
Andrey Kolesnikov
All the Article in Russian as of July 23, 2008
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