Abbas Signs Energy and Double Taxation Agreements with Venezuelan Counterpart
CARACAS, May 17, 2014 – (WAFA) – President Mamhoud Abbas signed Saturday energy and double taxation avoidance agreements with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.
Abbas started Friday a three-day official visit to the Caracas, where he was received by Maduro. They exchanged views on the peace process as well as Palestinian relations with Latin America, as AFP reported Palestinian Ambassador to Venezuela Linda Sobeh Ali as saying.
Abbas and Maduro signed two cooperation agreements; energy and double taxation avoidance agreements. Under the energy agreement, Venezuela would partly cover Palestine’s need of diesel over the next five years, selling diesel to Palestine at preferential prices.
Palestine and Venezuela agreed to negotiate other agreements on importing crude oil and to activate the Palestinian-Venezuelan Ministerial Committee to be entrusted with strengthening bilateral relations.
Abbas sought to garner support for granting Palestine observer status in three Latin American organizations; namely the Union of South American Nations, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Información desde América Latina reported that Abbas visited the mausoleum of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and paid homage to El Libertador, Simon Bolívar, whose remains rest in the capital complex.
In a joint press conference, Maduro demonstrated his country’s willingness to help Palestine join the three Latin American organizations as well as the petro-Caribbean Coalition whose eighteen member states buy Venezuelan oil at preferential prices.
He added that his country would provide an initial shipment of 240,000 barrels of oil and diesel to Palestine.
“Venezuela would honor its pledge to offer all that is needed to help end the injustice that has been afflicting the Palestinian People as well as to help end the occupation of their land and establish their own independent state,” Maduro stated.
Abbas received the Francisco de Miranda Order from Maduro and conferred upon his counterpart the Palestine Star.
He also conferred the Palestine Star to Chavez’s daughter, Maria, in recognition of her father’s “unwavering positions in mobilizing regional and international support for Palestinian people.”
“Thanks to Venezuela for supporting Palestine to break Israel’s monopoly on our economy, for responding to our needs, and for your willingness to support the Palestinian people in their just struggle,” stated Abbas.
