Just after a midnight Saturday deadline to wrap up the nationalization talks, Morales joined representatives of eight foreign companies for a signing ceremony in La Paz marking the achievement of one of his nine-month-old administration's central goals.

Inking new deals with the Bolivian government were two separate affiliates of Petrobras, Repsol YPF, British Gas Bolivia, Andina, Chaco, Matpetrol, and Pluspetrol. The French company Total and the US-based Vintage Petroleum signed nationalization deals Friday.

Morales nationalized the oil and gas industry May 1. His decree gave foreign firms 180 days to sign new deals ceding majority control of their Bolivian operations or leave the country.

Morales said Saturday the petroleum nationalization would be only the first step in his campaign to recover control of Bolivia's natural resources.

"We will continue in this path of recovering our natural resources, not only the hydrocarbons but also the minerals and the non-metallics, and all non- renewable natural resources that belong to the Bolivian people," he said.

Earlier this month Morales announced plans to bring Bolivia's mines under state control.

While Petrobras is the largest producer of Bolivian gas, Repsol YPF and its subsidiary Andina control 35 percent of the gas reserves. Petrobras controls 16 percent and Total 14 percent.

All three are involved in the massive San Alberto and San Antonio gas fields in southern Bolivia, which together produce some 70 percent of the country's total natural gas output.

Under the nationalization decree, the state raised to 82 percent from 50 percent its share of the revenues from the two giant fields, while taking only a 60 percent share at minor deposits.

ASSOCIATED PRESS