Vladimir Putin To Receive Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez In The Kremlin

Vladimir Putin will receive in the Kremlin President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela who has arrived in Moscow for a short working visit . As RIA Novosti was told in the Embassy of Venezuela in Moscow, during his negotiations with the Russian President Hugo Chavez will discuss the current situation on world oil market which is seeing a trend towards lower oil prices. The prices of this energy source have dropped to the lowest mark in the past two years - 19.07 dollars per barrel. This is a record drop since August 5, 1999 when one barrel cost 19 dollars. In the opinion of the Venezuelan President, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) should urgently consider the oil price situation and take a decision on lowering the quotas on extraction and export deliveries of crude oil, otherwise it will be impossible to avoid a price collapse. Venezuela is presiding at the OPEC. The sides will also exchange views on the international situation in the world after the terrorist attacks on the USA on September 11, and on the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan. The initial plan of Hugo Chavez's tour provided for visiting Algeria and eight European countries - Switzerland, France, Vatican, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Portugal and Great Britain. However, the President of Venezuela has changed his plan and decided to include in his tour also some oil exporting states - Libya, Saudi Arabia and Iran (all OPEC members) - and also Russia. On Monday afternoon Hugo Chavez will fly from Moscow to Great Britain. In May, this year, the President of Venezuela paid an official visit to Russia and conducted negotiations with Vladimir Putin.