Venezuela-Iran Oil Cooperation Promising
April 3, 1999 - 0:0
NEW YORK Iranian Ambassador to Venezuela Mohammad Keshavarz-Zadeh said in Caracas that recent agreements reached between Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and Venezuelan officials have served to tranquilize turbulent oil market. Keshavarz-Zadeh said that relative increase in price of oil following the said talks have caught American and other regional media by surprise. He said that Kharrazi's talks with seven senior Venezuelan officials have encouraged Venezuela to improve its relations with Iran. He added that after Kharrazi's talks, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered his cabinet to pave the ground for further expansion of relations with Iran, saying that he would soon visit Iran. The Iranian diplomat said that positive outcome of talks with Saudi officials prompted Iranian officials to hold talks with venezuelan officials for stabilization of the oil market.
Expansion of relations with Venezuela, as a major producer of oil and an important country in Latin America, can play an effective role in activating Iran's diplomacy in entire part of Latin America, he said. The Iranian ambassador added that the warm welcome accorded by the Venezuelan press to Kharrazi's visit, prompted Iranian embassy to arrange two press conferences herein the Iranian foreign minister answered a wide range of questions posed by Venezuelan journalists.
Venezuelan officials considered Kharrazi's talks in Caracas as a turning point in Iran-Venezuela relations, believing that after Chavez's visit to Tehran Iran and Venezuela would emerge as two powerful allies in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Iranian diplomat noted. Keshavarz-Zadeh said that a joint consultative committee, to be formed per an agreement reached in the course of Kharrzi's recent visit to Venezuela, would offer practical strategies to Iranian and Venezuela officials and the OPEC Secretariat. The move taken by Iran and Venezuela to swap their oil customers would diminish transportation costs, said Keshavarz-Zadeh, adding that in light of the said move Iran and Venezuela would save $2 for transportation of each barrel of oil, he added.
In light of a memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and Venezuela, the two countries would hold regular political consultations on international and regional subjects, he added. (IRNA)
Expansion of relations with Venezuela, as a major producer of oil and an important country in Latin America, can play an effective role in activating Iran's diplomacy in entire part of Latin America, he said. The Iranian ambassador added that the warm welcome accorded by the Venezuelan press to Kharrazi's visit, prompted Iranian embassy to arrange two press conferences herein the Iranian foreign minister answered a wide range of questions posed by Venezuelan journalists.
Venezuelan officials considered Kharrazi's talks in Caracas as a turning point in Iran-Venezuela relations, believing that after Chavez's visit to Tehran Iran and Venezuela would emerge as two powerful allies in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Iranian diplomat noted. Keshavarz-Zadeh said that a joint consultative committee, to be formed per an agreement reached in the course of Kharrzi's recent visit to Venezuela, would offer practical strategies to Iranian and Venezuela officials and the OPEC Secretariat. The move taken by Iran and Venezuela to swap their oil customers would diminish transportation costs, said Keshavarz-Zadeh, adding that in light of the said move Iran and Venezuela would save $2 for transportation of each barrel of oil, he added.
In light of a memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and Venezuela, the two countries would hold regular political consultations on international and regional subjects, he added. (IRNA)