Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo (left) greets Mayor of Montego Bay Noel Donaldson shortly after arriving at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, yesterday. Prime Minister P J Patterson yesterday had private meeting with the president, followed by informal talks at the Half Moon Hotel between Jamaican and Nigerian delegations, led by K D Knight, the Jamaican foreign minister. Patterson was last night expected to host a reception at Half Moon Hotel in the evening in honour of the president, who leaves the island today. (Photo: Horace Hinds)

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) - The leaders of Nigeria and Trinidad signed an agreement of understanding yesterday to open direct flights between their oil-rich countries, calling it an important step to expanding cooperation and trade.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Trinidad Prime Minister Patrick Manning signed the agreement on the last day of the Nigerian leader's four-day visit to the Caribbean country.

"You cannot be talking about exchange and interaction without ease of movement between our two countries, and we'll make that happen very soon," Obasanjo told a news conference.

No decision has been made about what airlines would make the trip between Trinidad and the West African nation, the leaders said.

Obasanjo has said he was eager for Trinidad's help in developing his country's vast natural gas reserves. Nigeria has proven natural gas reserves exceeding 170 trillion cubic feet (4.8 trillion cubic metres), most of it barely exploited.

Trinidad is the leading supplier of liquid natural gas to the United States, supplying 75 per cent of imports last year. The former British colony has proven natural gas reserves of at least 30 trillion cubic feet (850 billion cubic metres).

The leaders, however, did not mention any agreements to cooperate on developing the industry.

Obasanjo was in Trinidad for celebrations of the anniversary of the abolition of slavery. He also used his trip to lobby for Caribbean support for his country's bid to become a permanent UN Security Council member.

The 15-member Caribbean Community has backed a plan to expand the Security Council from 15 to 25 members, earmarking two permanent seats for African countries.

Trinidad Foreign Minister Nolson Gift has said the Caribbean Community has not decided which African countries to back.
South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt are the leading African contenders.

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