1 July 2009
Venezuelan president planning to visit Belarus in late August or early September

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is planning to visit Belarus at the end of August or at the beginning of the next month, Venezuelan Ambassador Americo Dias Nunes said at a news conference in Minsk on July 1.

Mutual visits at the highest level have become traditional, the ambassador said, noting that the Belarusian leader was expected to pay a return visit to Venezuela in December 2009.

“It is quite possible that new joint plants will be opened in Venezuela during the visit,” Mr. Nunes said.

Mr. Chavez visited Belarus three times in the past -- in July 2006, June 2007 and July 2008.

Mr. Lukashenka visited Caracas in December 2007. A joint oil production company named PetroVenBel was inaugurated during his visit.

On June 20, Mr. Lukashenka had a phone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart.

“They had a detailed discussion on issues concerning the implementation of large-scale projects in various areas ranging from construction to machine building and petrochemistry,” the Belarusian leader’s press office said in a written comment. “A particular attention was paid to progress on a Belarusian-Venezuelan oil production project in Venezuela.” //BelaPAN