CARACAS, August 17 (Itar-Tass) —— Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has thanked Russia and its President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for the advanced armaments supplied to the Venezuelan army. He was speaking on the phone to greet the participants in the special ceremony of presenting Russian military hardware to the Venezuelan military.
“I would like to thank President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for the world’s most advanced armaments manufactured in our dear, fraternal Russia. Thank you, Russia,” Chavez said.
“We have no intention of attacking any one, we need armaments for the protection of our sacred independence,” Chavez said. He recalled that Venezuela had the world’s largest explored oil reserves.
“Soldiers of the Bolivarian army! Do remember that in your hands you have the world’s best weapons,” Chavez told the Venezuelan military.