BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

10/12/2007

Belarus rates highly Lukashenko's visit to Venezuela - foreign minister

MINSK. Dec 10 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Venezuela has confirmed the strategic character of Belarusian-Venezuelan relations that will make it possible to develop bilateral cooperation in various areas, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov said.

"The visit was successful from the Belarusian standpoint which is also shared by Venezuela," Martynov said in Minsk on Monday.

Belarus is particularly interested in energy cooperation with Venezuela including in seeking "alternate sources and routes of energy resources," Martynov said.

Currently Belarus has an access to two fields in Venezuela, which will make it possible to extract about 900 thousand tonnes of oil yearly.

Belarus might in the future get access to some more fields in Venezuela and this will make it possible to increase oil extraction up to two million tonnes yearly.

"There is no economic advantage in transporting oil to Belarus, and so it is planned to sell it on the local market and to transfer the acquired funds to buy oil closer to Belarus," Martynov said.

Belarus and Venezuela signed 15 agreements and some contracts during Lukashenko's visit to Caracas.

"Direct action military alliances have not been discussed. The agreement's further development will be determined by the needs of both sides," Martynov said.

Source:

http://www.interfax.com/3/344836/news.aspx