Vice Minister Izarra met with the Ambassador of India
VENEZUELA AND INDIA ANALYZE AGREEMENTS AND SCOPE OF 1ST HIGH LEVEL MEETING OF THE JOINT COMMISSION
Caracas , September 26th , 2005
The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asia, Middle East and Australia , Mr. William Izarra, met with the Ambassador of India, Mr. Deepak Bhojwani, to make a balance of the agreements and decisions reached during the 1st High Level Meeting of the Joint Commission India – Venezuela, that took place in Caracas last August 31st to September 2nd .
During this meeting, The Ambassador of India received information on the 17 topics analyzed during the 1st High Level Meeting of the Joint Commission, in the areas of energy, infrastructure, agriculture, science and technology, trade, financing mechanisms and lines of credit, double taxation, health, consumer protection, mining, iron and steel industry, housing, defense, multilateral and Andean Community.
For Vice Minister Izarra, the follow up as well as development and strengthening prospects of that which was agreed upon, “take us to a series of coordination activities that will allow the flow of the agreements, as well as strengthen the multipolar thesis of the national Government.
Likewise he indicated that they also revised some dates regarding the possible visit of President Hugo Chavez to India , or as manifested by Ambassador Bhojwani, the interest to visit Venezuela in May 2006, manifested by the President of India.
Ambassador Bhojwani said that he has been able to notice the interest towards Venezuela of both private and public sectors of his country. At the same time, he conveyed to Vice Minister Izarra, “the gratitude of the Government of India for the agreement signed in 2003 between Intevep and Oil India Limited, which has resulted in the upcoming start of the drilling of an oil well, thanks to the technical assistance of Intevep”.
On this particular, Vice Minister Izarra pointed out that the result of this agreement “has allowed the opening of an extra heavy crude well, after two years of research and preparation, which is very important to India . For this reason the Government of India has invited the Venezuelan Minister of Energy and Oil to attend the inauguration ceremony.
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Indian delegation headed by S.E. Mr. Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, visited Venezuela from August 31st to September 3rd, for the Inaugural Meeting of the High Level Joint Commission India - Venezuela
The First High Level Meeting of the Joint Commission between India and Venezuela was held in Caracas on 31st August – 1st September, 2005. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for External Affairs, H.E. Rao Inderjit Singh. The delegation consisted of Officials from the various Ministries of the Government of India as well as Senior Executives of private and public sector undertakings. The Venezuelan delegation was led by Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. Ali Rodriguez Araque of the Government of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela .
The Joint Commission was set up under an agreement signed during the State visit of H.E. President Hugo Chavez Frias to India in March, 2005. The Joint Commission meeting covered a wide range of cooperation in various sectors incuding energy, poverty alleviation, railways, trade, science & technology and economic cooperation. The meeting emphasized India 's interest in Venezuelan oil and gas industry, particularly through agreements such as the one between ONGC (Videsh) Ltd. And PDVSA of Venezuela to exploit the heavy oil field of San Cristobal . The Venezuelan side also acknowledged India 's potential in the infrastructure through agreements such as the one between IRCON and Venezuelan Railway Authority.
The two Ministers signed an Agreement on Exemption of Visa Requirement in respect of Diplomatic and Official Passports of the two countries.
4. The Indian Minister visited Puerto Ordaz where he met with the Minister of Basic Industry and Mining, Dr. Victor Alvarez of Government of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and visited a Technology Demonstration Centre set up by India in Venezuela .
5. India and Venezuela enjoy very close and cordial ties, which have been strengthened by the bilateral visits.
6. Indian companies have shown interest in investment and joint ventures in Venezuela in oil and gas, mining, pharmaceutical and IT Sectors.
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Preparatory meeting between H.E. Deepak Bhojwani, Ambassador of India in Venezuela and H.E. Vice Minister for Asia, Middle East and Australia, for the First Meeting of the High Level Joint Commission India - Venezuela
The Viceminister of External Relations for Asia, Middle East and Australia, Mr. William Izarra, held a meeting last Wednesday with the Ambassador of India in Venezuela, Mr. Deepak Bhojwani to coordinate the different aspects relating to the celebration of the 1st Meeting of the High Level Joint Commission India - Venezuela, scheduled to take place on august 31st, 2005 in Caracas.
