Panama's Torrijo asks Chávez for entry into Petrocaribe

[Judi Lynn]

CARACAS, Wednesday March 04, 2009
Panama's Torrijo asks Chávez for entry into Petrocaribe

Venezuela and Panama are to initial education, culture and labor agreements

During his short visit to Caracas on Tuesday, President of Panama Martín Torrijos asked his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez to speed up Panama's membership in Caribbean oil alliance Petrocaribe, whose partners are sold Venezuelan oil under preferential terms.

After a meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez, the Panamanian President told reporters that they also talked about plans to trade Panamanian agricultural products and Venezuelan fertilizers.

However, Torrijos insisted on energy issues. The membership in Petrocaribe will give Panama "enhanced possibilities to propose new agreements and tighten the ties among our countries to seek integration mechanisms," said the Panamanian ruler following his meeting with Chávez, who would not talk to the press, EFE reported.

http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/03/04/en_eco_art_panamas-torrijo-ask_04A2242287.shtml
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