Vladimir Semago, a Deputy of the State Duma who knows Hugo Chavez.  Earlier, he gave RT this view of the Venezuelan President's visit to Russia, in terms of politics, economic and military co-operation, even image-making.

Russia Today: Hugo Chavez met with a small group of Russian lawmakers earlier today, behind closed doors.  Why was he not allowed to address all 450 deputies of the Russian Duma at its regular session?  Are they deliberately trying to keep his visit a low profile?

Vladimir Semago: No, I guess this decision was a bureaucratic mistake and many people in the Russian Parliament – they have no conception about who Mr Chavez is – were worried that this extraordinary person, who once upon a time could attract the attention of the world, might say something extraordinary while in the Duma. I guess it was a mistake, a bureaucratic error, nothing else.  The positive fact is that if Mr Chavez will have the chance to speak and everyone will realise that he's a very clever and smart politician.  He knows what to say and how to deal with the public everywhere.  I am very sorry that this visit to the Duma was not all it could have been but I guess it will not be the last.   I think the next time we will have to give more thought to it.  We in Russia must learn how to use all such political events to our advantage.

RT: You have just described Hugo Chavez as an extraordinary person and a clever man. You have indeed met him before. How would you describe him as a man and as politician?

V.S.: I went in Venezuela in 2002 and saw Mr Chavez exactly three days after he was let out of prison, and I can tell you one thing: during this long period Mr Chavez made no mistakes in the political area. He is a very popular person because he thinks about people and about the image which will be shown to the people.   And I guess he is thinking not only about himself, because there are a lot of people who can talk, speak and think only about “how am I looking”. He is thinking about the person with whom he is talking first of all. Secondly, he uses every chance to improve things. It is very strange for the people because sometimes we are flexible: we want to talk, we want to have a joke. He is thinking directly only about one thing: how to improve the situation.  For whom? For himself and for his country, definitely.  And I think that his visit to Russia and his attempt to connect his visits to Russia, Belarus and Iran.  It is very different to the way things were before. It is a very good idea to show the Americans that Russia is standing very close to the countries who are not viewed favourably by Washington.  Chavez has definitely done a very good thing. He received the invitation from Russia and after that gave the confirmation to Belarus and Iran. So it looks like a necklace, and it is very clever I guess.  We never imagined such tricks were possible in the political arena.

RT: In terms of what is going to be discussed: we heard that economic and military co-operation will top the agenda of his various talks. Is there any political significance in his visit?

V.S.: If one has economic or military relations in place, it means one is already touching on politics.  There could be no military relations without political relations. If one has good political reasons, one will improve military relations. These are very similar things, like brothers or sisters.

RT: Hugo Chavez is very a outspoken critic of the U.S. and his visit to Russia comes just before Vladimir Putin's visit to the U.S. on July 1.  Do you think Russia's intense political co-operation with Venezuela – which has been reinforced during the recent visit – is going to overshadow that meeting between George Bush and Vladimir Putin?

V.S.: I have to tell you that during two days of Chavez' visit he has not said even a word against American imperialism. And today he did not touch on the theme in the State Duma or in the Chamber of Commerce.  In fact, he tried to show that good Russian-Venezuelan relations would benefit third countries. He opened the gate to Latin America for Russia and said that together Venezuela and Russia could come to Argentina. Bolivia, Paraguay and other countries, excluding maybe Colombia. At the same time he said nothing against the U.S. and I think that some Russian political personalities talk about that more than Chavez does.  He understood that such talk could do something harmful to Putin on the ever of Russia-US summit.  But he is a real friend and he said absolutely nothing that could produce criticism.  It might sound strange but Chavez is dreaming about good relations with the U.S.  His position is a very clever one: “I like American people but hate American imperialism and Mr Bush”. I think Chavez is clever and smart.