Thursday, May 24, 2007
E.U. delegation interested in importing Iraqi natural gas
E.U.
(Voices of Iraq) - A visiting European Union delegation said that EU countries are interested in importing Iraqi natural gas from the Ekas field in southern Iraq, the spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry said on Wednesday. "EU representatives held talks this week with oil ministry officials, headed by oil minister Hussein al-Shahrestani, and expressed EU countries’ interest in importing Iraqi natural gas from the Ekas field, a huge field that extends from Ninewa province to the southern borders of Saudi Arabia," Essam Jihad told the independent news agency voices of Iraq (VOI).
"Ekas is one of the fields included in the ministry's development plan. It has a production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, in addition to possible large amounts of gas in the western region that may turn Iraq into one of the largest natural gas producers in the Middle East region," he added.
"The delegation expressed desire to transport gas through the joint Arab pipeline that passes through a number of Arab countries: Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and through Turkey towards the EU," he also said, noting that the delegation expressed interest in importing the whole production. "Large steps have been taken towards concluding the agreement and the EU delegation is interested in participating to develop Iraq’s oil fields," the spokesman affirmed.
"Ekas is one of the fields included in the ministry's development plan. It has a production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, in addition to possible large amounts of gas in the western region that may turn Iraq into one of the largest natural gas producers in the Middle East region," he added.
"The delegation expressed desire to transport gas through the joint Arab pipeline that passes through a number of Arab countries: Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and through Turkey towards the EU," he also said, noting that the delegation expressed interest in importing the whole production. "Large steps have been taken towards concluding the agreement and the EU delegation is interested in participating to develop Iraq’s oil fields," the spokesman affirmed.
Labels: E.U., Ekas field, Hussain al-Shahristani, Iraqi natural gas
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Barzani tells EU that Turkey should stop interfering
Politics, Kurdistan
The leader of the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq appealed to Turkey on Tuesday to stop interfering in Iraqi internal affairs, in particular trying to delay efforts to bring the oil-rich city of Kirkuk under Kurdish control. Massoud Barzani told EU lawmakers that the northern Iraqi city should be put under the regional control of Kurds, a move which Turkey fears could be used to fund a bid for independence.
Under Iraq's constitution residents living in Kirkuk are expected to hold a referendum before the end of the year on whether the city should join the autonomous region run by Kurds in northern Iraq. The Iraqi government last month decided to implement the constitutional requirement to determine the future status of Kirkuk — which is disputed among several different ethnic groups. The plan is expected to turn Kirkuk and its vast oil reserves over to Kurdish control, a step rejected by many of Iraq's Arabs and Turkmen — ethnic Turks who are strongly backed by Ankara.
"Kirkuk is an Iraqi city, with Kurdistan characteristics, and no one outside has a right to intervene," Barzani said. Barzani, who was in Brussels to hold talks with EU officials, including EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee that Iraq's neighbors, including Turkey, had nothing to fear from his autonomous region, which he said was a rare area of security and stability in Iraq.
Turkey fears that any moves toward greater independence for Kurds in northern Iraq could incite Turkey's own estimated 14 million Kurds to outright rebellion. It has urged Baghdad to delay the vote, an appeal also made by some EU lawmakers on Tuesday, who fear the vote will lead to new conflict between ethnic groups in Kirkuk. Barzani warned however, that any delay would violate Iraq's constitution and could lead to unrest among Kurds.
Under Iraq's constitution residents living in Kirkuk are expected to hold a referendum before the end of the year on whether the city should join the autonomous region run by Kurds in northern Iraq. The Iraqi government last month decided to implement the constitutional requirement to determine the future status of Kirkuk — which is disputed among several different ethnic groups. The plan is expected to turn Kirkuk and its vast oil reserves over to Kurdish control, a step rejected by many of Iraq's Arabs and Turkmen — ethnic Turks who are strongly backed by Ankara.
"Kirkuk is an Iraqi city, with Kurdistan characteristics, and no one outside has a right to intervene," Barzani said. Barzani, who was in Brussels to hold talks with EU officials, including EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee that Iraq's neighbors, including Turkey, had nothing to fear from his autonomous region, which he said was a rare area of security and stability in Iraq.
Turkey fears that any moves toward greater independence for Kurds in northern Iraq could incite Turkey's own estimated 14 million Kurds to outright rebellion. It has urged Baghdad to delay the vote, an appeal also made by some EU lawmakers on Tuesday, who fear the vote will lead to new conflict between ethnic groups in Kirkuk. Barzani warned however, that any delay would violate Iraq's constitution and could lead to unrest among Kurds.
Labels: Article 140, E.U., Javier Solana, Kirkuk, Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, Turkey
Saturday, April 21, 2007
E.U. - no urgent need to accept more Iraqi refugees
Humanitarian
(AP) - European Union nations said Friday there was no urgent need to accept more Iraqi refugees, agreeing only to consider sending more humanitarian aid to Syria and Jordan to take in Iraqis. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told reporters that EU justice and interior ministers did not consider the current refugee crisis urgent enough for Europe to open its doors to more asylum-seekers from Iraq.
"The situation is not such at the moment that we have to start emergency measures. At the moment, the problem is such that we should try to tackle it locally in the region," Schaeuble said. "The amount of money we can use to resettle them here could best be spent there because you can help ten times more refugees there."
However, EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini said he would set aside up to $9.5 million in special funds to help EU nations if they want to take in more Iraqis. EU officials also said that on top of $15.2 million already sent to Jordan, Syria and Iraq to help pay for housing, feeding and hosting fleeing Iraqis, they were readying an additional $13.6 million, which could be disbursed later this year.
The U.N. refugee agency and human rights groups have urged the EU to help ease the burden on Jordan and Syria and take in more Iraqis until the security situation in Iraq improves. About 50,000 people continue to flee Iraq every month, mostly to those two countries, according to the UNHCR.
"The situation is not such at the moment that we have to start emergency measures. At the moment, the problem is such that we should try to tackle it locally in the region," Schaeuble said. "The amount of money we can use to resettle them here could best be spent there because you can help ten times more refugees there."
However, EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini said he would set aside up to $9.5 million in special funds to help EU nations if they want to take in more Iraqis. EU officials also said that on top of $15.2 million already sent to Jordan, Syria and Iraq to help pay for housing, feeding and hosting fleeing Iraqis, they were readying an additional $13.6 million, which could be disbursed later this year.
The U.N. refugee agency and human rights groups have urged the EU to help ease the burden on Jordan and Syria and take in more Iraqis until the security situation in Iraq improves. About 50,000 people continue to flee Iraq every month, mostly to those two countries, according to the UNHCR.
Labels: E.U., Franco Frattini, humanitarian aid, Iraqi refugees, Jordan, Syria, UNHCR, Wolfgang Schaeuble
Saturday, March 31, 2007
U.S. rules out deal with Iran to release British sailors
Iran, U.K., Security
(The Telegraph) - The United States has ruled out a deal to exchange the 15 British sailors and Royal Marines captured by Iran for five Iranians held by US forces. State department spokesman Sean McCormack crushed hopes that the hostages could be swapped as the crisis over the captured Royal Navy personnel entered its ninth day.
The US seized five suspected members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Iraqi city of Irbil in January, fuelling claims that Iran has been supplying Iraqi insurgents with weapons. Mr McCormack said: “The international community is not going to stand for the Iranian government trying to use this issue to distract the rest of the world from the situation in which Iran finds itself vis-a-vis its nuclear programme.”
Fears that British sailors would suffer a lengthy incarceration grew as Iranian officials repeated that they could face trial for violating international law. Speaking on Russian television Gholam-Reza Ansari, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, said that his country had launched a investigation into the sailors. He said: “It is possible that the British soldiers who entered into Iranian waters will go on trial for taking this illegal action. “The legal phase concerning these British soldiers has started and if charges against them are proven, they will be punished.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said despite the comments, the British position remains unchanged. He said: “It does not change our position. We made it clear that they were seized in Iraqi waters and we demand their release immediately, as well as consular access.” A third letter, purportedly written by Ldg Seaman Turney, the mother of a young daughter, was also published. It said she was being held because of “oppressive” British and US behaviour in Iraq. The letter, in poor English, called for Britain to withdraw from Iraq.
The US seized five suspected members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Iraqi city of Irbil in January, fuelling claims that Iran has been supplying Iraqi insurgents with weapons. Mr McCormack said: “The international community is not going to stand for the Iranian government trying to use this issue to distract the rest of the world from the situation in which Iran finds itself vis-a-vis its nuclear programme.”
Fears that British sailors would suffer a lengthy incarceration grew as Iranian officials repeated that they could face trial for violating international law. Speaking on Russian television Gholam-Reza Ansari, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, said that his country had launched a investigation into the sailors. He said: “It is possible that the British soldiers who entered into Iranian waters will go on trial for taking this illegal action. “The legal phase concerning these British soldiers has started and if charges against them are proven, they will be punished.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said despite the comments, the British position remains unchanged. He said: “It does not change our position. We made it clear that they were seized in Iraqi waters and we demand their release immediately, as well as consular access.” A third letter, purportedly written by Ldg Seaman Turney, the mother of a young daughter, was also published. It said she was being held because of “oppressive” British and US behaviour in Iraq. The letter, in poor English, called for Britain to withdraw from Iraq.
Britain gained its first significant international backing over the crisis last night when the European Union called for the "immediate and unconditional" release of the 15 Royal Navy personnel. The "message of solidarity" from 26 other European foreign ministers warned Iran that unless the sailors and marines were released, the EU would take further action, including possible suspension of business ties with Teheran and trade sanctions.
The strongly-worded EU response came 24 hours after the United Nations Security Council in New York approved a watered-down statement expressing "grave concern" about the situation. The EU statement pointedly used the word the UN baulked at endorsing by saying the it "deplores" the Britons' continued detention. It backed Britain's insistence that the Royal Navy boarding party had not crossed into Iranian territorial waters and threatened "further measures" if they were not released.
The strongly-worded EU response came 24 hours after the United Nations Security Council in New York approved a watered-down statement expressing "grave concern" about the situation. The EU statement pointedly used the word the UN baulked at endorsing by saying the it "deplores" the Britons' continued detention. It backed Britain's insistence that the Royal Navy boarding party had not crossed into Iranian territorial waters and threatened "further measures" if they were not released.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, a loose political and economic alliance of Iran's U.S.-allied Gulf Arab neighbors - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, also urged an end to the confrontation. The crisis, at a time of heightened Middle East tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions, has helped push oil prices to six-month highs over concerns an escalation might curb crucial oil exports from the region.
Labels: Baghdad security conference, British navy, E.U., Gholam-Reza Ansari, Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, oil prices, Sean McCormack, trial, U.K., U.N. Security Council, U.S.
