Russia: Putin and Kirchner finalize massive bilateral cooperation roadmap

Russia and Argentina agreed to boost bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of energy, economics, industry, space research and military collaboration, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Moscow on Thursday. Putin's statements followed a meeting with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the respective ministers of both countries at the Kremlin and the subsequent signing of roughly 20 agreements on bilateral cooperation. Russian company Inter RAO will participate in the construction of the hydroelectric power station 'Chiuido 1'; Rosatom will construct a sixth nuclear bloc at the Atucha nuclear power plant; and Gazprom will help boost the general development of the Argentine oil and gas sector. Putin announced all these deals, adding that Russian investments in Argentina's energy sector amount to $1.9 billion (€1.76 billion) currently. Ties were also tightened in the fields of military corporation and space exploration, agriculture, environmental protection and culture.