Venezuela and Spain further strengthened their energy ties through the signing of four agreements covering oil, naval construction and scientific cooperation, with the aim of consolidating the economic and social complementation of both countries, as a part of the agenda for the bilateral meetings held in Caracas between the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías. Within this context, Petróleos de Venezuela and REPSOL YPF signed a memorandum on collaboration and scientific cooperation, as well as on PDVSA staff training. Both companies also signed a letter of intent covering the evaluation and migration of operating agreements to joint companies and the possibility of granting new licenses for the exploration and production of natural gas. Additionally, a cooperation protocol with the objective of undertaking joint efforts in the marine and naval technological-industrial areas, was signed by the Minister of Energy and Petroleum and President of PDVSA, Rafael Ramírez Carreño; the Defense Minister of Venezuela, Jorge Luis García Carneiro; Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Angel Moratinos and the Spanish Defense Minister, José Bono. Similarly, both governments agreed to set up a strategic association between Venezuela 's Diques y Astilleros Nacionales (DIANCA) and NAVATIA of Spain, to cooperate on improving the performance of both shipyards, based on internationally accepted criteria on safety, reliability and competitiveness. Minister Ramírez Carreño reiterated that “The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the new PDVSA have been adapting their structure and organization to fully meet the needs of the international agreements into which we are entering, that are part of the integration and multipolarity of the strategic orientation of our relations”. For his part, REPSOL YPF President Antonio Brufau pointed out that “these agreements present an opportunity to cooperate more closely with PDVSA and to adapt ourselves to the new Venezuelan legislation. All of these agreements are highly beneficial to our companies and countries”.
