El Universal

Caracas, Thursday January 25 , 2007

Congress okays Venezuelan-Nicaraguan cooperation agreement

The National Assembly approved Thursday in plenary session a framework agreement on cooperation between Venezuela and Nicaragua with a view to the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (Alba).

The agreement covers the areas of health, education, culture, power supply, food, industry, trade, rural development, petrochemicals, infrastructure, agriculture and cattle-breeding, science and technology, environment and tourism, reported official Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN).

Under the instrument, the parties anticipated cooperation concerning exchange of information; promotion and participation in events, fairs and conferences; promotion and expansion of bilateral trade of goods, and building and refitting of factories, among others.

As stated by Saúl Ortega, the chair of the AN Foreign Policy Committee, the agreement marks the beginning of renewed Latin American integration.