国际英语新闻：Chavez promises long-term oil supplies to Belarus

MOSCOW, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan oil will be supplied to Belarus on a long-term basis, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko Saturday in Minsk, according to information reaching here.

"Venezuela has the largest oil reserves and Belarusian oil refineries will not be short of oil for 200 years," Chavez, who arrived in Minsk for an official visit, was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

Venezuela started regular oil supplies to Belarus this year. Under the bilateral agreement, four million metric tons of oil should be annually supplied to Belarus.

During the talks, Chavez thanked the Belarusian president for his support in political sphere and also for "opening the Belarusian market for the Venezuelan industry, goods, investment, and oil refineries."

Chavez said he will never regret his close friendship with Belarus.

The two leaders will sign a number of bilateral cooperation documents during Chavez' stay in Minsk. Enditem