MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivia's FM says no lithium deal discussed with Russia's Gazprom

Russia's Gazprom has no business regarding lithium, Mayta said

Bolivia's Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta Sunday denied press reports according to which he had reached an agreement with the Russian government to exploit lithium from the Salar de Uyuni during his recent trip to Moscow.

Mayta also described the publication of a Potosí outlet as a “significant error” and explained “no agreement on lithium“ had been reached with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

The Bolivian official also pointed out that the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons, together with the company YLB, were conducting a selection process of the company with which lithium will be extracted and that those procedures were following their natural course.

Regarding the alleged involvement of Russia's Gazprom mentioned in the newspaper report, Mayta insisted that that particular Russian company was not involved in the issue of lithium because it was not its area of work.

Mayta also considered that there is probably an error that ”should be clarified so that there are no misunderstandings in the population and among those who are participating in the selection process“ of companies.

The minister also explained that with Lavrov he had discussed issues of bilateral interest such as the work of the Mixed Commission that ranges from culture, health, provision of vaccines, as well as State policies within the framework of the United Nations.

Both countries also agreed on the immediate cessation of foreign interference into the internal affairs of Latin American countries, including Cuba and Venezuela, according to a Tass report.

”We exchanged opinions over the situation in Latin America and the Caribbean,“ Lavrov said.

”We spoke in favour of the immediate cessation of interfering in the internal affairs of countries in the region, including the cessation of the illegal trade, economic and financial blockade of Cuba, as well as the inadmissibility of Washington’s actions to undermine development processes in such countries as Venezuela and Nicaragua,” he added.