Moscow - Venezuela President Hugo Chavez announced new arms purchases from Russia and and agreed an energy partnership with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.

"We want peace, but we have to strengthen our defences," the president of the South American nation said at the start of a two-day visit to Moscow, the news agency Interfax reported.

Russian media reports said Chavez, who is known for his anti-US rhetoric, planned to negotiate the purchase of diesel-powered submarines, combat helicopters, tanks and Tor-M1 surface-to-air missiles.

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Caracas  - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Thursday threatened not to sell oil to any country that enforces strict new European Union rules for deporting illegal immigrants.

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Caracas  -