Chavez and Russia in arms deal

MOSCOW, Russian (AP) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday that his oil-rich nation will sign major arms deals in Moscow to acquire Russian fighter jets and produce Kalashnikov assault rifles, as Russia shrugged off U.S. criticism of the weapons sales.

On a visit to the city of Izhevsk, where Kalashnikovs are made, Chavez said contracts to buy Su-30 jets and set up Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition plants in Venezuela would be signed in Moscow on Thursday, the Interfax news agency reported.

"We are breaking the U.S. blockade that was aimed at disarming Venezuela," Chavez said in separate comments broadcast on state-run television in Venezuela.

"We are not going to attack anyone, but nobody should make a mistake with us, especially the U.S. empire that wants to dominate the world with cannons and bombs," he said.

cont'd...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/07/26/chavez.russia.ap/index.html