Venezuela will give a 121-hectare island in the Delaware River to the U.S. state of New Jersey in a gesture of goodwill to the U.S. people, CNN reported on Thursday.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez used Wednesday's Earth Day celebration as the occasion to announce the transfer of Petty's Island, CNN quoted a statement from New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine as saying.
The Venezuelan-owned Citgo Petroleum Corp. had bought the island, which is part of Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, to use it as a fuel storage facility.
The island is home to a pair of American bald eagles, several great blue herons and state-endangered black-crowned night herons.
Plans are being finalized for the transition, which will not occur before 2020, Corzine's office said.
The New Jersey government must first certify that Citgo's cleanup of the island has met state standards before it can be transferred.
The Citgo has agreed to create a 2-million-U.S.-dollar fund to allow the Natural Lands Trust, a state land-preservation board, to manage the island.
The company is setting up another one-million-dollar fund to help establish a cultural and education center.
Activities on the island will be limited to hiking and bicycle riding.
At the 5th Summit of Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago on April 17-19, the U.S.-Venezuela relations seemed to have been turning warm.
On April 17, Chavez and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama exchanged greetings and shook hands with smile before the inaugural session of the summit.
On April 18, Chavez gave Obama a book titled "The Open Veins of Latin America" by Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano.
Chavez also designated a candidate for the ambassador to the United States.
The U.S.-Venezuela relations have been tense in recent years. In September 2008, Chavez ordered the expulsion of the U.S. ambassador in solidarity with the Bolivian government's decision to expel the U.S. ambassador in La Paz.
In retaliation, the Bush administration ordered the expulsion of the Venezuelan ambassador in Washington.
Source:Xinhua
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