Venezuela orders 1m laptops

2008-09-27 21:20

Lisbon - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday ordered one million low-cost laptops from Portugal - one of several bilateral deals that Portuguese officials valued at more than $3bn.

The agreements cover housing, utility infrastructure and energy cooperation.

"We are building a solid relationship" with Portugal, Chavez said at a signing ceremony in Lisbon. "We have negotiated (these deals) with our mutual interests in mind."

The blue-and-white laptops - based on Intel Corp's Classmate PC design - are manufactured under license in Portugal and are primarily aimed at schoolchildren in developing countries. They contain the latest Intel microprocessors, digital cameras and broadband internet access.

The computers are said to cost several hundred dollars each, though officials have declined to give an exact figure. Portugal wants to export part of its production.

Portugal also agreed to help Venezuela with public housing projects, and a Portuguese company signed a contract to provide 50 000 pre-fabricated houses.

In another deal, Portugal will help develop Venezuela's infrastructure for electricity generation and distribution and for telecommunications.

Petroleos de Venezuela and Portuguese energy group EdP also will proceed with plans to develop a liquefied natural gas plant in Venezuela.

The two countries had agreed last month to boost their commercial ties, and Venezuela recently sent Portugal a tanker carrying one million barrels of oil as part of an energy deal, according to Chavez.

Chavez arrived in Lisbon after visits to Russia and France. It was his third visit to the Portuguese capital this year.

- AP