In a message dated 12/23/99 3:17:01 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

>The condominium of Venezuelan State between Imperialist States of America
>and domestic oligarchs and their financial arangements could hardly be could
>"bying"; US are , literaly, as all the statistics are amply showing ,
>"receiving" oil from Venezuela, for ridicilous prices.............

    Oil was not the subject but we can go there if you wish, Andrej.  The
average price for a barrel of Opec crude in mid December was $23.90, and the
top and low prices during the same period were Libyan at $26.15 and Qatar
crude at $22.54 a barrel.  Venuzualan crude was selling at $.24.74.  This is
approximately $10.00 more than in January of 1998 and above OPEC's average
for this period.  Your litany of labels not withstanding, there is no reason
to say Venuzuala is giving crude oil away.  And your or my or anyone's idea
of what may be considered  "ridiculous prices" is irrelevent to what the
market determines the price to be.  Again, the previous poster is wrong to
suggest that Americans are obligated to give any assistance to Venuzuala
simply because Americans BUY crude oil from them.
Yours,
Issodhos