| US: Venezuela's Russia fleet invite is 'curious' |
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| Written by RRN |
| Wednesday, 20 August 2008 22:51 |
 The White House said Monday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's invitation to host a Russian fleet was "curious" and accused him of neglecting his people's problems."The Russians and the Venezuelans can engage in whatever cooperation that they would like. But it's curious, I'm not sure what Venezuela needs or gains by a visit by the Russian fleet," said spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "You would think that President Chavez would concentrate more on the problems that the people of Venezuela are having rather than inviting the fleet in for a port call," he said, adding that he could not confirm the invitation. Chavez said during his weekly radio program on Sunday that Russian President Dmitri Medvedev wanted to send a Russian naval fleet to visit Venezuela. "I told the president (Medvedev), 'If you're coming to the Caribbean, we'll welcome you,'" Chavez said, adding that the Russian naval fleet would pay "a friendly and working" visit to Venezuela. |