"A more democratic, just and secure world"

This is the purpose, according to President Medvedev or Russia (prop. Vladimir Putin), of the latest Russian-Venezuelan agreement, which, among other matters, will have President Chávez buying $1 billion's worth of Russian arms. Just what Venezuela needs.

Well it is, according to the president as, again according to him, the United States is about to invade the country, having failed to do so in the last few decades.

President Medvedev and his Russian delegation spoke merely in generalities, not attacking the United States. Possibly, because they do not think America is about to invade Russia (or Venezuela); possibly because they think President Chávez is a clown but if he is going to pay $1 billion for arms, he is a useful clown.

Then there is the old dream of a cartel of gas-producing countries:

Medvedev said it was still possible that Russia could join Venezuela and other gas-producing nations to form a cartel similar to OPEC, a concept under discussion for several years.

He also said that such cooperation would help guarantee energy security and was "not directed against any states."

Let us not forget that Russia, a country that cheerfully breaks contracts if she does not like the buyer's politics, is the strategic partner of choice for Germany and France. If there is ever a common foreign policy, that is the protests of East Europeans and Balts are over-riddent, Russia will be the strategic partner of choice for the EU.