PETROBRAS ASKS ARMY TO WITHDRAW TROOPS
Brazil's state-oil company
Petrobras has asked the Army to withdraw the troops which were
occupying its oil installations since Tuesday, Petrobras said
in a statement.
    The statement said the request for the withdrawal of the
troops was made because of the calmness reigning in all of its
refineries.
    "The request was also due to the end of the seamen's strike
and the willingness of the oil industry workers to sit again by
the negotiating table," the statement said.
    Even though the Petrobras statement said the seamen's
strike was over, a union spokesman said only two small shipping
companies had reached a pay agreement. The overwhelming
majority of Brazil's seamen remained on strike.
    The statement said a meeting between Petrobras and oil
industry leaders was set for next Wednesday in Rio, with the
presence of Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto as a mediator.
    Petrobras said the request for the withdrawal of the troops
was made at 1100 local hours (1400 GMT), but a company
spokesman said he did not know if the troops had already been
removed.
 Reuter
