Venezuelan oil minister to discuss contracts in Belarus - envoy

Venezuelan Energy and Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez will visit Belarus within the next few days to sign new contracts, the Venezuelan ambassador to Minsk said on Wednesday.

MINSK, July 1 (RIA Novosti) - Venezuelan Energy and Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez will visit Belarus within the next few days to sign new contracts, the Venezuelan ambassador to Minsk said on Wednesday.

"The visit, aimed at conducting a practical study of the existing accords between Belarus and Venezuela, is expected in the coming days. The parties are planning to sign new contracts in the sphere of oil production and the development of new oil fields," Americo Diaz Nunez said.

State-run Belarusian oil producer, Belorusneft, which opened a representative office in Venezuela in 2007, has established a joint venture, Petrolera BeloVenezolana, jointly with Venezuela's state-owned petroleum company PdVSA for oil exploration and production.

Belarus, which has no hydrocarbon resources of its own, heavily depends on energy supplies from Russia and is seeking to diversify energy imports.

The ambassador also said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez could pay a visit to Belarus in late August or September.

"This year, top-level visits are expected between Venezuela and Belarus. It is possible that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will visit Venezuela in December. Most likely, the visit will be timed to coincide with the opening of Venezuela-Belarus joint ventures," he said.