Argentina, Venezuela sign pacts

Caracas, Jan 23 (IANS) The presidents of Argentina and Venezuela have signed several cooperation pacts, including in the food and technology sectors, EFE reported.

Visiting Argentina's President Christina Fernandez and her Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez have signed 21 agreements Thursday here to promote bilateral ties, the report said.

The agreements are in the sectors of agriculture, technology, energy and tackling drug trafficking, among others.

The leaders stressed that the pacts would make Venezuela self-sufficient in food production as well as in the technology sector, so that the Andean nation does not depend on countries outside the region.

Officials of the two countries predict that the bilateral trade in 2009 would exceed $3 billion reached in 2008.

'Venezuela has become our largest buyer of metallurgical and agricultural products,' the Argentine president said adding that Venezuela had rescued the country's leading milk company SanCor from bankruptcy.