Ros-Lehtinen blasts proposed gas cartel
|
|
|
WASHINGTON, April 2 U.S. congressional opposition is building against a proposed gas cartel that will bring together major suppliers, including Russia, Iran and Venezuela."The creation of this cartel would pose a major and long-term threat to the world's energy supply," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday. "We must vigorously oppose the establishment of this global extortion racket." Last month Russian news reports said major gas producers agreed to set up a cartel for gas exports -- modeled on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries -- for gas exports. A deal is expected April 9 in Qatar.During a visit to the Middle East in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said even if a gas cartel was not formed, producers should coordinate their policies.The West fears that an OPEC-like cartel would lead to high gas prices.Although the United States is mostly self-sufficient in natural gas, imports are expected to increase over the next few years. Europe and Asia, which depend on natural-gas imports, are also likely to be affected by any gas cartel.Copyright 2007 by UPI
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related News
Baltics reaffirm commitment to new nuclear plant
Vilnius - The prime ministers of three Baltic states said Friday they remained committed to the joint construction of a new nuclear power station for the region in which Poland will also have a share. After talks in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, th...
India, Sweden hold talks on climate change, energy
New Delhi - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Swedish counterpart, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Thursday held talks on a wide range of issues in hopes of providing a fresh impetus to bilateral ties in the areas of trade, energy and environment. Sing...
EU's Barroso urges Ukraine to avoid disruptions in gas supplies
Brussels - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Thursday urged Ukraine to do everything in its power to prevent a repeat of last winter's gas crisis, in which a fight with Russia over money cut off supplies to much of Europe. Europea...
Iran favours purchase of nuclear fuel, envoy says - Summary
Vienna - Iran favours purchasing nuclear fuel for its research reactor, Tehran's UN ambassador in Vienna said Monday, indicating the country is reluctant to send uranium abroad for reprocessing. That would go against the concept favoured by the Unite...
Timor Sea oil rig catches fire
Sydney - A Thai oil exploration company said Sunday its leaking Timor Sea oil well had caught fire. The West Atlas drilling platform operated by PTTEP Australasia in the Montara field 690 kilometres west of Darwin has been leaking around 400 barrels ...
Lawmaker says Tehran reactor to be shut down
Tehran - A senior Iranian member of parliament said Saturday that Tehran's research reactor would be shut down in the near future, making the nuclear fuel deal with world powers irrelevant. The Tehran reactor will soon be replaced by the 40-megawatt...
ANALYSIS:Experts gloomy about Iranian uranium deal
Vienna - There is little hope that Iran will agree to an multinational deal to reduce its uranium stockpile, experts said Friday, as the plan has got caught up in Iran's fractious internal politics. While the United States, Russia and France have sai...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
