Venezuela President Hugo Chavez has conveyed his desire to strengthen and diversify bilateral relations with India

Venezuela President Hugo Chavez has conveyed his desire to strengthen and diversify bilateral relations with India, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said on Friday. This was conveyed in a meeting between Chavez and MoS for External Affairs Anand Sharma during the latter’s three-day visit to Venezuela from May 18 to 20. “The two nations discussed the exploration in Carbobo 1 and Junin Norte oilfields, which received a positive response. India has also invited Venezuela to invest in greenfield refinery projects in partnership with Oil PSUs in an integrated petrochemical complex. Chavez has confirmed his country’s desire to develop a durable and multi-faceted partnership, especially in the fields of energy, science & technology, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, including generics,” an official statement said. The next India-Venezuela Joint Commission meeting will be held in New Delhi later this year."