HAVANA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from 17 Central American and Caribbean countries gathered Friday in the Cuban city of Cienfuegos to discuss Venezuela's plan to provide cheap oil to Caribbean countries on flexible payments.
The leaders had a series of closed-door meetings, presided overby Cuban Acting President Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, at the 4th summit of Petrocaribe, a regional energy organization comprising of 17 Central American and Caribbean countries.
Members of the Venezuela-sponsored organization include Antiguaand Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada,Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, Venezuela and Honduras.
Honduras formally joined Petrocaribe Friday, becoming its 17th member.
The summit will evaluate the advance of the accords signed under the Petrocaribe initiative, which was launched by Chavez in June 2005 to supply oil to Caribbean countries under favorable financial terms.
The leaders will also discuss regional energy security and rising crude price. A declaration is expected at the end of the meetings.
Within the Petrocaribe commitments, Cuba and Venezuela will reinaugurate the Camilo Cienfuegos refinery, which had been suspended 12 years ago. The refinery is expected to process 65,000 barrels of crude oil every day in the initial phase and increase its daily output to 100,000 barrels later.
The 136-million-U.S.-dollar refinery will showcase the "economic integration between Venezuela and Cuba," Chavez said.
The Petrocaribe summit seeks a favorable, balanced and fair exchange in the energy sector among member states.
The leaders had a series of closed-door meetings, presided overby Cuban Acting President Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, at the 4th summit of Petrocaribe, a regional energy organization comprising of 17 Central American and Caribbean countries.
Members of the Venezuela-sponsored organization include Antiguaand Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada,Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, Venezuela and Honduras.
Honduras formally joined Petrocaribe Friday, becoming its 17th member.
The summit will evaluate the advance of the accords signed under the Petrocaribe initiative, which was launched by Chavez in June 2005 to supply oil to Caribbean countries under favorable financial terms.
The leaders will also discuss regional energy security and rising crude price. A declaration is expected at the end of the meetings.
Within the Petrocaribe commitments, Cuba and Venezuela will reinaugurate the Camilo Cienfuegos refinery, which had been suspended 12 years ago. The refinery is expected to process 65,000 barrels of crude oil every day in the initial phase and increase its daily output to 100,000 barrels later.
The 136-million-U.S.-dollar refinery will showcase the "economic integration between Venezuela and Cuba," Chavez said.
The Petrocaribe summit seeks a favorable, balanced and fair exchange in the energy sector among member states.
