Venezuela's president mulls nuclear energy development

MOSCOW, July 26 (RIA Novosti) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday his country might develop its own nuclear energy industry.

"We do not have the [civilian nuclear energy] program at present, but we could use the nuclear energy for civilian purposes in the future," Chavez told a news conference upon arrival to Moscow.

The Venezuelan leader, who is on a visit to Russia as part of his European tour, earlier said he planned to sign an agreement Thursday in Moscow on the construction of a Kalashnikov assault rifle assembly plant in his country and was also considering the possibility of purchasing Tor M1 air defense missile systems from Russia.