MOSCOW, August 5 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian...

"Yes, Bolivia has asked for the loan. It is being considered at present," the source said.

Bolivian Defense Minister Walker San Miguel said in an interview with Bolivia"s Radio Erbol that the Latin American country was seeking a Russian loan to finance the purchase of a new presidential plane and a variety of Russian-made military equipment.

During talks in Moscow in February, Russia and Bolivia signed a bilateral agreement on military-technical cooperation.

Sources earlier reported that Bolivia had expressed an interest in buying a number of Russian-made Mi-17 Hip multipurpose helicopters to combat terrorism and drug trafficking.

Bolivia is currently the world"s third largest producer of cocaine after Colombia and Peru, primarily supplying Europe and other markets in South America.