Argentina gives Russia military shopping list-Tass

MOSCOW, Oct 27 (Reuters) Argentina has given Russia a shopping list of military hardware it wants to buy, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said after talks with his Argentine counterpart today, the Itar-Tass news agency said.

Russia has defied the United States to sell more than 3 billion in dollars arms to Venezuela, whose populist president Hugo Chavez visited Russia in July, and Moscow is keen to boost its arms sales in Latin America.

''We cannot fully satisfy the demands of our armed forces ...

Russia understands our difficulties,'' Argentina's Defence Minister Nilda Garre said, Itar-Tass reported.

''Buenos Aires is not worried about a negative reaction from the US about possible purchases of Russian arms. I consider that arms purchases are the sovereign affair of every country,'' Garre added.

Argentina was interested in Russian air defences and helicopters as well as equipment for civilian air traffic control, RIA news agency quoted Garre as saying.

Reuters PB DB2304