What's behind Moscow's frequent hosting of L. American leaders?

by Hai Yang

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Chinese media) -- Moscow does have its

eyes on Latin America. That's the word from Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

According to a report from the Itar-Tass news agency,

Lavrov told a Latin American magazine on Friday that Russia plans "to setup

comprehensive cooperation with Latin American countries."

"This year, we plan to welcome in Moscow presidents

of several Latin American countries," Lavrov said.

Indeed, in the past two months Moscow has hosted two

presidents from the continent on the other side on the planet. Raul Castro

became the first Cuban leader to visit Russia since the disintegration of the

Soviet Union when he came in late January, and on Feb. 15, Evo Morales became

the first Bolivian leader to visit Moscow since the two countries established

diplomatic relations in 1945.

Local observers believe that Russia's frequent

diplomatic interactions with the so-called "U.S. backyard" not only represents

its crucial interests in seeking all-round cooperation with Latin America but

also highlights its desire to expand its power in an increasingly diversified

world.

FRUITFUL

TRIPS

During Castro's trip to Russia, the two countries

cemented their strategic partnership and signed 33 agreements under which Russia

would provide 354 million U.S. dollars in credit and aid to Cuba.

The two sides also formalized a grant of 150 million

dollars to Cuba to buy Russian-made agricultural and construction machinery and

another 100 million dollars to buy other equipment.

As for Bolivia, Morales took home a batch of deals

concerning military, anti-drug cooperation and gas exploration.

Moscow may loan funds to Bolivia to buy Russian-made

arms, and a number of helicopters may also be supplied, said Mikhail Dmitriyev,

director of Russia's federal Military-Technical Cooperation Service, the

Interfax news agency reported.

Russia may also help explore Bolivia's gas reserves,

the second biggest in the region after Venezuela.

"We spoke about Russia helping our friends in Bolivia

with hydrocarbons and the construction of a gas transport system," President

Dmitry Medvedev said after meeting with his Bolivian counterpart, adding that a

memorandum was signed with gas giant Gazprom, whose cooperation is "moving into

the practical sphere."

PRAGMATIC

COOPERATION

When appraising Russia's development of relations

with Latin America, Lavrov said his country "proceeds not from ideology, but

from mutual advantage and pragmatism," the Itar-Tass news agency reported

Friday.

The minister saw Latin America not only as an

exporter of resources, agrarian products and textile goods to Russia, but also

as a promising partner in investment, energy, and other fields.

Russia's efforts in boosting ties with Latin America

provide a win-win situation, since some countries strive to promote their own

global influence by cooperating with the former superpower, said Sheng Shiliang,

a Beijing-based expert on international relations.

"For instance, while Venezuela regards Russia as a

high-tech supplier from whom it can gain access to technologies hardly

achievable from other countries, Russia sees Venezuela as an outlet for military

machinery, as well as a springboard into the whole Latin America," he said.

DIPLOMATIC

STRATEGY

In addition to cooperation on a practical level,

perhaps more important to Russia's foreign strategy, though, is the need to

actively engage Latin America, the region where the United States still keeps

its dominance.

Specifically, to gain leverage on the Russia-U.S.

relationship, and to seek alliance in the establishment of a multi-polar rather

than a unipolar world, especially when the global financial crisis is moving

toward a reshuffling of the world financial order.

"One vital message Russia wants to convey through

ties with Latin America is," Sheng said, "as a political, military and economic

strong nation, Russia does not allow the United States and other Western

countries to squeeze its strategic space and hinder its rise."

"It seeks to expand and consolidate its military

presence and scope of global influence, rejecting the single hegemony of the

United States," he added.

In fact, Medvedev said at a news conference with

Morales that they want "to create a fairer international system."

The joint statement issued by both leaders also

stated that the presidents expressed their concern over "the U.S. missile

defense plan in Europe and NATO's ongoing eastward expansion, which contradicted

the goals of peace and security."

Medvedev has emphasized that cooperation with Latin

America is "not aimed at going into competition with anyone," and both Moscow

and Washington have expressed willingness to improve their recently soured

relations.

Still, analysts believe the two countries have a long

way to go before the tensions actually ease.

"In terms of carrots, Russia holds out the

possibility of closer cooperation with the West on Afghanistan and Iran," said

Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, a Moscow-based think

tank.

However, "expecting the optics to change overnight

would be unrealistic," he said in an article published on the center's website.