Any U.S. action would come only after Venezuela's opposition and Maduro's representatives sign an agreement under which he commits to a presidential election date and to the lifting of bans on some opposition candidates, these two sources said.
It would also allow participation of opposition figures who are currently barred from holding office, the source added.
Reuters reported last week, citing five sources, that Venezuela and the United States had progressed in talks that could allow at least one additional foreign oil firm to take Venezuelan crude oil for debt repayment if Maduro resumed negotiations with the opposition.
Two of those sources had named France's Maurel & Prom (MAUP.PA), a joint venture partner with Venezuela state-run oil company PDVSA, as a possible recipient of a comfort letter.
The return to talks was announced in a statement published by Norway, an observer of the talks, which are meant to provide a way out of Venezuela's long-running political and economic crisis.
Persons:
Elvis Hidrobo Amoroso, Jesus Maria Casal, Venezuela's, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Nicolas Maduro, Maduro, Maduro's, Maurel, Maria Corina Machado, Mayela Armas, Matt Spetalnick, Marianna Parraga, Julia Symmes Cobb
Organizations:
Electoral Council, Primary Commission, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson
Locations:
Caracas, Venezuela, Rights CARACAS, WASHINGTON, United States, Washington, Barbados, U.S, mull, Israel, Norway, Houston