Venezuela, Palestine sign oil deal

Venezuela and Palestine have signed agreements including deals under which Caracas is to sell oil at a ‘fair price’ to the Palestinians.

The accords were signed on Saturday following a meeting between Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua and his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki.

“It is an agreement of cooperation and solidarity with our oil industry… a sale of fuel at a fair price,” Jaua said.

The agreement also assures “favorable” repayment terms as well as training of Palestinians on handling and distribution of oil.

Maliki, who is on a Latin America tour, said he was “extremely satisfied” with the agreement.

On August 23, Maliki visited Ecuador, where he discussed with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility Ricardo Patino. After the meeting, the two ministers expressed interest in opening embassies in both countries to strengthen ties.

A day earlier, Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar said after meeting the Palestinian foreign minister that his country is in the process of appointing an ambassador to Palestine and reiterated Guyana’s continued support to Palestine.

A group of Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, Uruguay, Ecuador, Chile and Chile, recognize Palestine as an independent state.

On April 10, the Latin American nation of Guatemala became the 132nd nation in the world to formally recognize the state of Palestine.