Chavez, Manning in working dinner tonight

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will discuss energy matters over dinner tonight, with Chavez expected to return home either later this evening or early tomorrow morning. Due to the nature and timing of tonight’s talks, Chavez will be unable to accede to Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s request that he (Chavez) respond to Manning’s June 5 statement about a connection between political instability in Venezuela and crime in Trinidad and Tobago.

Panday yesterday expressed concern that crime was not on the agenda for tonight’s meeting between the two leaders. He said in light of Manning’s statement of June 5 and the crime situation in TT “this issue should be given priority” in tonight’s talks. Panday said he would appreciate if Chavez “could personally respond to Prime Minister Manning’s statement that Venezuela was responsible for the high crime rate in Trinidad.” However, addressing yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall hours earlier, the Prime Minister hinted that Chavez would be unable to grant Panday’s request. Manning said he telephoned Chavez last Thursday and the Venezuelan President agreed to come to Trinidad tonight. The Prime Minister explained that given Chavez’s tight schedule, he felt it best not to interfere with Chavez’s work day and the Venezuelan leader agreed to a working dinner. Accompanying Chavez will be Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Roy Chaderton Moses, Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez and TT’s Ambassador to Venezuela Sheelagh Osuna.

“Principally our agenda is an energy agenda,” the Prime Minister said. However, Manning did not exclude the possibility of other matters being discussed. Among the topics that Manning and Chavez will discuss at tonight’s meeting will be the development of Venezuelan natural gas reserves located in close proximity to TT’s maritime border with the South American republic, utilisation of Venezuelan natural gas in TT and an arrangement where TT and Venezuela supply petroleum products to Caricom. Manning said while Chavez will be on a “whirlwind visit” to Trinidad, both leaders are optimistic that tonight’s meeting will be “very productive.” Both countries reached an agreement in 1990 which established maritime borders between them and dealt with joint energy reserves. Government sources say Manning and Chavez are expected to develop a clear policy on how to shares these reserves, where resources and borders overlap. Venezuelan Ambassador to TT, Hector Azocar said a key element in tonight’s talks would be joint venture energy cooperation in the Deltana Platforma region. Chavez arrives in Trinidad today at 4 pm but a news conference with the Venezuelan President which was scheduled for the Hilton Trinidad at 10 am tomorrow, has been brought forward to this afternoon.