RIA Novosti citing Mr Americo Diaz Nunez the Venezuelan ambassador to Minsk as saying that Belarusian gas pipeline construction company Belgazstroy has suspended work in Venezuela, while two other Belarusian contracts are in doubt.

He said that "The Company suspended work over non-payments for the first part of the contract."

The contract on the provision of consulting services by Belgazstroy for the construction of gas networks in the state of Barinas in western Venezuela is worth almost $2 million and is intended to be implemented over 18 months.

The ambassador said that the problems with payments would be resolved soon.

The Venezuelan diplomat said that a second contract on cooperation between Venezuela and Belarus in the gas sphere was also experiencing difficulties. The diplomat said the USD 1.5 million contract covers training, re-training and advanced training of Venezuelan gas specialists. The contractor is the Belarusian Gas Institute.

Mr Nunez said the third contract on the provision of consulting services by the Belarusian side for the designing of gas pipelines has also run into difficulties. He said that fresh negotiations are under way due to objections by the Belarusian side relating to the sum of the contract signed by both parties.

(Sourced from RIA Novosti)