Russia Pursues Policy Of Strategic Partnership With Venezuela - Russian Ambassador

The fact that the high-level Russian-Venezuelan intergovernmental commission will convene in Moscow in mid-April proves that Russia pursues the policy of strategic partnership with the Latin American country, Russian Ambassador in Caracas Vladimir Zaemskiy said in an interview with Sputnik

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2019) The fact that the high-level Russian-Venezuelan intergovernmental commission will convene in Moscow in mid-April proves that Russia pursues the policy of strategic partnership with the Latin American country, Russian Ambassador in Caracas Vladimir Zaemskiy said in an interview with Sputnik.

"The high-level commission has a trade and economic and investment meaning. Meanwhile, very fact of a high-level commission meeting is an important political signal that confirms the steadiness of the policy toward Russian-Venezuelan strategic partnership boost," Zaemskiy said.

He added that a range of bilateral agreements would be signed during the upcoming meeting.

"Bilateral projects that are already being implemented will be discussed � those related to Russian wheat deliveries and energy and defense cooperation and new initiatives as well, including Russian pharmaceutical products deliveries, mining cooperation and transport infrastructure development," Zaemskiy specified.

The Russian diplomat added that while all the contracts between Russia and Venezuela, including those on Russian military products deliveries, had been registered legally by Caracas in compliance with international regulations, the reaction of the Venezuelan opposition, in case of its rise to power, was unpredictable.

"The change of power should in no way influence the new government's implementation of the previously reached agreements. However, it is currently difficult to forecast the behavior of the Venezuelan opposition in case of its hypothetical rise to power," Zaemskiy said.

The Russian ambassador added that one should take into consideration that Washington, which supports the Venezuelan opposition, had plans to "squeeze" states supporting the legal Venezuelan government, including Russia and China, out of Latin America.

Tensions in Venezuela escalated in January, when US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido illegally declared himself "interim president." Washington immediately endorsed Guaido and called on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

Maduro has accused Guaido of conspiring with the United States to overthrow the country's legitimate government.

Russia, China, Cuba and a number of other countries have reaffirmed their support for Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president and called for non-interference in Venezuela's internal affairs.