Russia says wants nuclear cooperation with Ecuador

QUITO (Reuters) - Russia is interested in expanding nuclear energy cooperation with Ecuador, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

"Russian companies are interested in working with their Ecuadorean counterparts in many issues like oil and gas and atomic energy," Lavrov said through an interpreter during visit to Ecuador's capital Quito.

Ecuador does not have nuclear power plants.

Ecuador and Russia are planning to increase military cooperation and start trade talks next year.

Russia is pushing to increase its influence in Latin America. Russia has renewed some Cold War-era tensions with the United States.

A fleet of Russian warships arrived in Venezuela this week for joint naval exercises, part of leftist President Hugo Chavez's effort to strengthen a growing alliance with Moscow.