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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://af.reuters.com/article/saoTomeNews/idAFLDE74H1VZ20110518">http://af.reuters.com/article/saoTomeNews/idAFLDE74H1VZ20110518</a><br>
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<h1>Sao Tome, East Timor sign energy memorandum</h1>
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<p><span class="articleLocation">SAO TOME</span> May 18 (Reuters) -
Sao Tome and Principe and
fellow former Portuguese colony East Timor on Wednesday signed a
three-year cooperation agreement focusing on oil and gas
exploration between the two small island nations.<span
id="midArticle_byline"></span></p>
<span id="midArticle_0"></span>
<p> The deal is one of East Timor's first such agreements in
Africa and underscores Sao Tome's efforts to seek partners to
help it strike oil in the Gulf of Guinea, where results in its
waters have so far disappointed.</p>
<span id="midArticle_1"></span>
<p> Few details were available on the memorandum of
understanding, which was signed by natural resource ministers
from both countries, but officials said the two would exchange
knowledge and work together on efforts like improving
transparency in the sector.</p>
<span id="midArticle_2"></span>
<p> Sao Tome hopes that it will strike oil like other Gulf of
Guinea neighbours but results from fields drilled so far have
disappointed and big explorers have shunned recent licensing
rounds. [ID:nLDE71019H]</p>
<span id="midArticle_3"></span>
<p> East Timor's oil and gas resources have helped rebuild the
economy after the country was crippled by violence during its
bid for full independence a decade ago.</p>
<span id="midArticle_4"></span>
<p> But development has been slow and the country is embroiled
in a row with Australia's Woodside Petroleum (WPL.AX: <a
href="http://af.reuters.com/stocks/quote?symbol=WPL.AX">Quote</a>)
over the
development of a gas field. (Reporting by Ricardo Neto; writing by
David Lewis)
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