gas barbecue grill Russia, Libya discuss nuclear cooperation deal

MOSCOW (Reuters )-Officials said Saturday that Russia and Libya are negotiating an agreement under which Moscow will build nuclear research reactors and supply fuel for North African countries.Russia earns billions of dollars a year by exporting its civilian nuclear expertise, but it faces criticism from Western governments who say nuclear technology could fall into the wrong hands.Officials say Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has visited Russia for the first time in 23 years, and talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Saturday are discussing a document on civilian nuclear cooperation.A Reuters reporter, who saw the draft document, said that under the agreement, Russia would help Libya design, develop and operate civilian nuclear research reactors and fuel them.A spokesman for Putin said the agreement was under discussion."The agreement has not yet been signed."The negotiations are going on," Dmitry Peskov told reporters .".Three in Russia-After Libya emerged from international isolation, it fought for lucrative contracts with Europe and the United States to abandon its weapons of mass destruction program.Putin said last month that Russia is ready to consider building a nuclear power plant for Venezuela. Under President Chavez, Venezuela has always been an opponent of the United States.Russia is also building a nuclear power plant for Iran, and the United States and other countries suspect that Russia is trying to build an atomic bomb under the cover of its nuclear power plan.Tehran denies such an intention.Consistent with his tradition of foreign visits, Gaddafi-Born into a Bedouin herdsman familyHe set up a tent in a garden in the Kremlin.There was a barbecue grill in front of the tent.Later, Gaddafi joined Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in a Kremlin concert by Mathieu.Itar-Tass National News Agency said they were greeted with thunderous applause as they entered the hall.They had tea at halftime and chatted with the very popular French singer in Russia since the Soviet era.In a meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier, he said he wanted more energy cooperation."Unfortunately, in the past, our relationship has focused mainly on military and diplomatic contacts, with little cooperation in civilian areas," Gaddafi told Medvedev at the beginning of the Kremlin talks.Gaddafi said Shokri Ghanem, Libya's top energy official and head of the OPEC delegation, came to Moscow "to discuss coordination issues with Russian colleagues "."I think this kind of cooperation is particularly appropriate in the current circumstances.In addition, we are linked to a shared vision of energy policy, "Gaddafi said of the sharp fall in oil prices following the financial crisis.Diplomats say Gaddafi's trip to Moscow is aimed at fighting backBalance his speed.Expand relations with the West.U.S.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tripoli on September, the first visit by the United States.S.Secretary of State for 55 years.A Russian newspaper reported on Friday that the Libyan leader planned to provide the Russian navy with a base in the port of Benghazi, but did not mention the proposal in part of the talks that reporters attended on Saturday.Libya has the largest oil reserves in Africa, Russian gas export companies Gazprom, oil giant Rosneft and LUKOIL)