PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal have welcomed the granting of a six month Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) license to begin negotiations with Venezuela to resume the Dragon gas project.

In a statement issued by the OPM, Persad-Bissessar said, "The granting of the OFAC licence is the result of immense hard work and represents a fresh starting point in the ongoing negotiations."

She added, "It follows my recent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, where we engaged in productive discussions on deepening cooperation and advancing mutual interests."