|
Cuba, Venezuela trade at
USD 1.2 billion in 2005
El
Universal, Venezuela,
February 1, 2006.
Cuba, Venezuela trade amounted to USD 1.2
billion in 2005, said Venezuelan ambassador
to Cuba Adán Chávez, brother
of President Hugo Chávez.
In a news release published by the Venezuelan
President's Office, the diplomat stressed
that "by the end of 2005, the economic
flow boosted by Venezuela-Cuba agreements
was around USD 1.2 billion."
"Based on production this year, we
have a goal to reach USD 2 billion in the
two periods," the communiqué
added.
Adán Chávez added that in
October 2005, Caracas and Havana initialed
182 new agreements in the framework of the
sixth joint committee intended to assess
progress in bilateral relations in the fields
of education, health, energy and petroleum.
These deals include installation in Venezuela
of 600 integral diagnostic centers, 600
rehab centers, and around 40 high-technology
centers in the first half of 2006.
He added that Cuba granted 10,000 scholarships
for Venezuelans willing to study community
integral medicine. Some 4,500 Venezuelans
started these studies last year.
Venezuela supplies Cuba with almost 100,000
bpd of crude oil or by-products under a
cooperation agreement providing for "cash
payment of 60 percent of the price and financing
of 40 percent for a 17-year term, with a
two-year grace period at a yearly interest
rate of 1 percent."
An undisclosed portion of Venezuelan oil
sales to Cuba can be paid "with the
supply of (Cuban) goods and services."
Copyright @ Diario El Universal
C.A. 2005
| 
