Beal deal could be signed shortly - Jagdeo Editorial Stabroek News March 25, 2000 A deal with Beal Aerospace Technologies could be signed in a matter of days, President Bharrat Jagdeo has said. Speaking with reporters yesterday, the President indicated that Prime Minister Sam Hinds was optimistic that in a matter of days the final arrangements could be put in place for signing. Hinds had told Stabroek News earlier this week that he remained confident of the closure of a deal with Beal before the end of the month and head of the negotiating team, Edgar Heyliger yesterday confirmed this time frame could still be met. Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday indicated that his ministry was trying to ascertain whether Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, was indeed talking to the US Government about his opposition to the Beal satellite space port project for the Waini. Rohee indicated that Guyana's embassy in Washington was pursuing the issue and if it were found that the Venezuelans were indeed lobbying against the investment for Guyana, his government would embark on its own lobby on behalf of the investment. Venezuela is laying claim to Essequibo, which belongs to Guyana and Rohee maintains that the Government of Guyana has a right to determine what investment it wants to pursue in that region. Chavez was quoted by Reuters recently as saying that the investment could not take place and that he was talking to the US government on the issue. Even if a deal is struck between the government and Beal on setting up a space port in Guyana, the US State Department would still have to give the nod for the transfer of satellite technology to Guyana. Beal is hoping to use the agreement with the government to set up a launch site here to help induce the State Department to approve the transfer in technology. (GITANJALI SINGH)