EL UNIVERSAL

In his fourth official visit to Venezuela, Argentinean President Néstor Kirchner arrived Tuesday at 1:20 p.m. (local time) in air base Luis Apolinar Méndez in Puerto Ordaz, southern Bolívar state, where he was welcomed by Venezuelan Vice-President Jorge Rodríguez.

The Argentine ruler was scheduled to arrive late Tuesday, but he decided to bring forward his trip "to extend working sessions with President Hugo Chávez," DPA reported. During Kirchner's stay for about 24 hours, Chávez and the Argentinean ruler are initialing cooperation agreements in several areas.

Most of their official activities are scheduled for Wednesday. At 9:00 a.m. they are to inaugurate an oil well to be operated by Argentine state oil firm Enarsa, in San Tomé, eastern Anzoátegui state.

Further, Kirchner and Chávez are initialing a deal under which Venezuela is importing from Argentina 5,000 tons of beef and 5,000 tons of chicken, and a number of buses by the end of the year.

Kirchner is accompanied by his Minister of Economy Felisa Miceli and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Taiana. Argentinean Minister of Planning Julio De Vido is in Venezuela since last February 16th, AFP reported.

Kirchner and Chávez are also scheduled to complete an agreement under which Venezuela is to provide financial aid to Argentinean cooperative Sancor -Argentina's second largest dairy firm. Under this agreement Venezuelan State Economic and Social Development Bank (Bandes) is to disburse USD 135 million to afford Sancor liabilities and provide capital goods. The cooperative is expected to repay the loan by shipping powder milk to Venezuela. The agreement calls for installation of dairy plants and powder milk plants in Venezuela.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed Kirchner's visit is boosting bilateral industrial cooperation through agreements for "installation and location" of metal mechanic plants to manufacture agriculture machinery and gas-engine buses. The first 40 such vehicles, to be imported from Argentina, are arriving in Venezuela this year, but manufacturing plants would be installed in Venezuela subsequently. Venezuela and Argentina are also signing an agreement to open a number of beef warehouses nationwide.

Further, Chávez and Kirchner are expected to announce the second joint issuance of the Bond of the South for some USD 1 billion, according to financial sources. They first made an issuance of the Bond of South last year.

Additionally, to complete a process of cooperation in the area of agriculture industries, the Argentine Agriculture Industry Technology Institute has plans to build two laboratories conducting researches in the cattle-raising and agriculture sectors, particularly focused on potato seeds projects. In the construction sector, popular dwellings will be built in Venezuela based on Argentine technology.

Bilateral trade is expected to increase by almost 1,000 percent compared to 2003. Trade of goods and services between both countries is expected to soar from USD 100 million in 2003 to USD 1 billion in 2007, the Venezuelan official news agency ABN estimated.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com