MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Space Agency is ready to help Venezuela put its first astronaut into space, the agency's head said Monday.
"The Russian Space Agency is prepared to cooperate with Venezuela in all space projects and is ready to help to train the main and reserve national astronauts," Anatoly Perminov said during talks with Venezuelan Ambassador to Russia Alexis Navarro Rojas.
The agency said the first flight of a Venezuelan astronaut was possible only in the fall of 2008, and that it would draft the relevant agreement in the near future.
Rojas said in turn that Venezuela saw its involvement in space exploration only with the help of Russia.
"We fully support the policy of the Venezuelan president and the country's administration in space sphere," Perminov said.
He added that it would be necessary to prepare an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries on cooperation in peaceful space exploration.
