"We certainly are interested in developing nucler energy, for peaceful ends of course -- for medical purposes and to generate electricity," he said.

"Brazil has various nuclear reactors, as does Argentina," he added. "We will have ours as well," he said upon his return from a tour in China and Russia.

His remarks followed comments from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow Thursday that Russia was "ready to consider the possibility" of nuclear energy cooperation with Caracas.

Moscow and Caracas have boosted ties in recent weeks following sharp US criticism of Russia's incursion into Georgia, with Moscow dispatching long-range bombers and warships to Venezuela for exercises near US waters.

During his global tour, Chavez forged key military and energy cooperation deals which analysts said seemed likely to put him on dangerous footing with the United States.

Russia's energy ministry announced that the two countries also would form a consortium to invest tens of billions of dollars in oil and gas projects in the South American country.

Venezuela is the world's ninth biggest producer of oil, according to 2004 US government figures and is a major supplier to the United States.

But Venezuela's extensive gas reserves are believed to be underdeveloped, with all of the 30 billion cubic meters that Venezuela produces every year used domestically.

Russia is the second biggest oil exporter in the world and controls a quarter of global reserves of natural gas.

Chavez last week also visited France, Cuba and Portugal, but said the Russian leg of his world tour was particularly fruitful, especially his talks with Putin, with whom he said he forged "a profound friendship."

"I have to thank Putin for his courage in supporting Venezuela, as well as (Chinese Prime Minister) Hu Jintao, for not yielding to pressure from anyone," he said, in an apparent reference to the United States.

Chavez has said recently that he has increased ties with Russia as a counter-balance to US power and alluded to that goal again Sunday.

"The Russian fleet has already departed ... and should arrive in Venezuela at the end of November for maneuvers to increase our defense capability," he said Sunday.

"We are not going to invade anyone, or engage in acts of aggression toward anyone," Chavez said.

"But no one should mistake our intention -- we are prepared to do everything necessary to defend Venezuelan sovereignty," he said.

earlier related report
Russia offers Chavez nuclear help amid US tensions
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was to meet Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Friday after Russia risked Washington's wrath by offering the fierce US foe help developing nuclear energy.

The two were to meet in the city of Orenburg after hawkish Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told Chavez in Moscow on Thursday that Russia was "ready to consider the possibility of cooperation in nuclear energy."

The countries have boosted ties in recent weeks following sharp US criticism of Russia's incursion into Georgia, with Moscow dispatching long-range bombers and warships to Venezuela for exercises near US waters.

Putin made the nuclear offer after Russia this week delayed talks with the United States and other powers on fears Iran is developing nuclear weapons, concerns critics say have been exacerbated by civilian nuclear technology provided by Moscow.

Chavez called for increased ties with Russia as a counter-balance to US power.

"Today like never before all that you said on the multi-polar world becomes reality. Let us not lose time," Chavez told Putin. "The world is fast developing geopolitically."

In deployments not seen since the Cold War, Russia this month sent two long-range bombers to Venezuela for exercises and has dispatched a flotilla of warships from the Arctic base of Severomorsk to Venezuela, near US waters.

Putin thanked Chavez for the "warm welcome" given to the planes and said South America was growing in importance for Moscow.

"Latin America has become an important chain-link in creating a multipolar world, and we will pay more attention to this vector," he said.

Russia's relations with the United States are in a deep chill, most recently over the brief war in Georgia last month -- a conflict where Chavez was one of the few world leaders to support Moscow.

During that war, Washington angered Moscow by holding naval exercises near its Black Sea coast. And when the war ended, the United States used warships to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia.

Chavez and Medvedev were expected to touch on military and energy cooperation in Friday's talks, a Kremlin official said.

The Kremlin on Thursday announced that Russia had granted Venezuela a one-billion-dollar (682-million-euro) loan to buy Russian arms.

Venezuela has signed deals for 4.4 billion dollars' worth of Russian arms since 2005, including fighter jets, tanks and assault rifles.

Russia's Kommersant daily reported last week that Venezuela was planning to purchase anti-aircraft systems, armoured personnel carriers and more combat aircraft.

Chavez arrived in Russia from China and will continue on to France as part of a world tour ahead of local elections in Venezuela in November. It is his third trip to Russia since June of last year.

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