Hugo Chavez promises full cooperation in addressing India’s energy security

Terming India as one of the largest emerging markets in the world, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela assured visiting petroleum minister Murli Deora of  full cooperation in addressing India´s energy security. He expressed his happiness with the on-going cooperation in the oil sector between India and Venezuela and assured his support for more projects.

Stressing the importance of relations in the hydrocarbon sector, President Chavez also emphasized that there were many more areas like industry, health, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, etc in which two countries could move forward.

He added the initiatives already taken by Venezuela and India highlight that a lot more can be achieved by exchanging enhanced level of interaction by the two nations. It was agreed that the Joint Commission meeting would held shortly and finalize the detailed agenda for cooperation.

Deora handed over a letter from the  Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to President Chavez. He stressed the need for further expanding cooperation in the oil sector evincing India´s interest to participate in the development of upstream, refining and gas marketing and distribution of Venezuela besides to providing training to its oil technologists in the state-of-art facilities with Indian oil PSUs.

Earlier, Shri Deora also had a fruitful meeting the Foreign Minister of Venezuela. A wide range issues were discussed in the meeting including projects for criss-cross investment, avoidance of double taxation, enhancing cooperation in S&T areas, optimum utilization of ITEC scholarship offered by India.