World

Brazil denies gas to Argentina, but offers energy.

The Brazilian government and Petrobras offered to Argentina this Saturday electricity instead of gas, but emphasized that the offer is without guarantees.

"As far as possible, we will help to alleviate these difficulties (Argentina)," said the Minister of Mines and Energy, Edison Lobão. "Without repasse gas, but with repasse of energy, if we have to provide energy."

Lobão - after the meeting, in Buenos Aires, between Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Cristina Kirchner, of Argentina, Evo Morales of Bolivia, ministers of the three governments and the President of Petrobras, Jose Sergio Gabrielli - stressed that Brazil not assign the Bolivian gas it consumes even during the Argentine winter.

According to him, Argentina, Brazil would have accepted the proposal to get more power and pay in the future, with energy.

"We offer energy (electric) to them with certain limit and receive payment with energy when they can pay," said the minister.

Money

Until last year, Argentina had paid in cash sent by Brazil to electricity at times of emergency.

According Lobão, Brazil would send about 200 megawatts of energy per hour for the Argentine market, provided they do not harm the domestic Brazilian market.

The minister revealed that the Argentine authorities came to ask that Brazil provide one million cubic meters of Bolivian gas, of the 30 million cubic metres that the country is entitled by contract, in addition to electricity.

Lula Advisors, who attended the meeting in presidential residence Argentine said that for Brazil is closed the discussion on the possibility of opening hand of Bolivian gas to repassá it to the Argentine market.

The President Lula stressed must be "be aware that energy is not only produced gas."

"What is important is that it has amount of megawatts to be able to relate to the countries that need of Brazil," said Lula, referring to an increase in the production of electricity in the country.

Discussion on energy

The proposal did not enjoy the Bolivian authorities, according to diplomats who work in government Morales.

For Brazil, from now, according to aides to Lula, the discussion is about energy in general, focusing on electricity.

According to Lula, the economic expansion recorded in the three countries has caused increased demand for energy.

Therefore, this production and energy sources is important for the three countries. For the president, Bolivia will have conditions in the "medium term", to meet without problems, the domestic demand of gas and to contracts with Brazil and Argentina, from new investment already announced by Petrobras.

Lobão said that the Bolivian authorities have not made proposals at the meeting and that there were to "help" the Argentina in the discussion on the distribution of limited gas.

At the meeting, the three countries also decided to form a committee with the area energy ministers from Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia to discuss the difficulties of the sector, and notably in Argentina.