Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will pay his first visit to Venezuela to meet with President Hugo Chavez on April 2, a government source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
Putin plans to participate in delivering the final four Mi-17 Hip helicopters that Caracas had ordered in 2006, thus finalizing the military contract. The contract stipulated the delivery of 38 helicopters.
The Russian premier will lay the cornerstone of a new Russian Orthodox cathedral to be built in the Venezuelan capital.
Putin will also meet with Bolivian President Evo Morales in Venezuela on Friday. Issues of cooperation in gas and energy, as well as other international issues will be discussed during the meeting, the government source said.
Chavez last visited Moscow in September 2009.
MOSCOW, March 31 (RIA Novosti)
