21.   Arriving Tuesday afternoon, Venezuelan oil minister Dr. Erwin Jose Arrieta said only that both OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers needed to seek out new markets.

22.   But even the Venezuelan oil official who fill in on Wednesday for Arrieta, Heliodoro Quintero, was unable to offer any clues.

23.   But it is operated by Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., the state-owned Venezuelan oil company.

24.   Chavez met separately Tuesday with Ali Rodriguez, OPEC secretary general and a former Venezuelan oil minister.

25.   Chavez met separately Tuesday with Ali Rodriguez, secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and a former Venezuelan oil minister.

26.   Foreign companies now permitted to pump Venezuelan oil must sell all of their output to PDVSA.

27.   Iranian oil minister Gholamreza Aghazadeh pointedly noted that OPEC raised the issue with Venezuelan oil minister Erwin Arrieta, who promised compliance.

28.   Speaking to reporters late Tuesday, Venezuelan oil minister Erwin Arrieta indicated OPEC needed to become more imaginative about doing business by reaching out to new markets and alliances.

29.   The adjournment itself was odd, as Venezuelan oil minister Erwin Arrieta left the building and the others stayed behind to keep talking.

30.   The plan is part of pact that allows the communist island to exchange goods and services for Venezuelan oil.