March 27, 2007
Venezuela and Belarus sign 22 cooperation agreements

(PDVSA Press Release) - "Belarus and Venezuela signed a total of 22 cooperation instruments in the areas of petroleum, housing and habitat, agriculture, and science and technology, as part of the activities during the visit of the high-level delegation of that European nation to Caracas, headed by the Secretary of State of the Security Council, Mr. Victor Sheiman.

Among the agreements in the area of energy signed before the minister of the People's Power for Energy and Petroleum and president of PDVSA, Rafael Ramírez, there is one for the creation of a Mixed Company that will work with PDVSA at Junin 1 Block in the Orinoco Oil Belt. Additionally, two agreements were signed in the area of Exploration and Production, one of which was for the creation of a Mixed Company for the performance of exploration seismic and production. The third agreement is for the acquisition of five high-technology trucks for the generation and reception of seismic waves.

The cooperation instruments will enable Venezuela's independence regarding seismic activities in the short and medium term, as far as the 2D and 3D technology is concerned and in the future, also in 4D technology. A fourth agreement was signed for the gasification of Venezuelan cities.

The minister of the People's Power for External Affairs, Nicolás Maduro, explained that through these agreements, the manufacturing plants and factories that will enable Venezuela to be independent and self-sufficient to build the country's infrastructure will be installed.

In turn, Mr. Sheiman expressed the appreciation of his Government for having achieved the tasks that were proposed and defined for the six work groups. He also said he was pleased because our States are creating an alliance and we our mutual cooperation is taking a very dynamic pace.

Through the cooperation between Belarus and Venezuela, 100 young high-school graduates from Misión Ribas will be trained in the Russian language and will then travel to Belarus during the second semester of this year, to be trained as technicians in the areas of handling and assembly of the seismic trucks, for their subsequent manufacture in Venezuela.

Within the agenda of activities for Sheiman in Venezuela, there is the visit he made this Friday to the Refining Center in Paraguaná. Since his arrival last March 20, the Belarus delegation began conversations with their Venezuelan pars, through work desks in the areas of Petroleum, Petrochemicals, Seismic, Agriculture, and Basic Industries and Mining, topics in which both nations will be cooperating within the frame of solidarity and complementariness between our peoples".