{"id":700,"date":"2008-05-06T15:36:21","date_gmt":"2008-05-06T15:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?p=700"},"modified":"2008-05-06T15:36:21","modified_gmt":"2008-05-06T15:36:21","slug":"more-firms-find-ways-around-sanctions-on-syria-and-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/more-firms-find-ways-around-sanctions-on-syria-and-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"More Firms Find Ways Around Sanctions on Syria and Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"

 US Sanctions against Syria sometimes backfire.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

In the case of Gulfsands, the US executives of the oil firm were forced to resign and the company moved its headquarters from Houston to London in a bid to retain its business with Syria. Rather than dump Syria, the company dumped America and cut its exposure to Americans. Here is the story:<\/p>\n

Gulfsands sacrifices top executives to continue development of Syrian oil find<\/a> 
05 May 2008
The Syria Report<\/p>\n

Gulfsands Petroleum has announced that two of its key executives, including Chief Executive John Dorrier, were resigning from the board and that it was relocating its principal office to London.<\/div>\n
.<\/div>\n
The other executive is David DeCort, the company’s Chief Financial Officer. The US-based independent oil and gas company provided no explanation for this move. However, the two decisions appear clearly motivated by the recent executive order by US President George Bush banning any dealings between US individuals and corporations with Rami Makhlouf, a shareholder in the company (Read US announces sanctions on Rami Makhlouf<\/a>). Mr Dorrier and Mr DeCort hold American citizenship. Through his investment Fund, Al Mashrek Fund, M. Makhlouf owns 6.30 percent of the shares. <\/span><\/div>\n
.<\/span><\/div>\n
Gulfsands Petroleum announced significant discoveries in the Khurbet East field in Block 26 with reserves of 66 million barrels. First production in the field is targeted for the fourth quarter of this year.<\/span><\/div>\n
.<\/span><\/div>\n
The fifth Canadian oil company<\/strong> has just signed a contract to explore in Syria. Groundstar, SPC sign PSA on Blocks 14 and 16<\/a> <\/span><\/div>\n
.<\/span><\/div>\n
[Comment by Landis<\/strong>] Not only are Canadian firms ready to swoop in to snack on the oil and gas business that US firms are no longer able to exploit, but Iraq, America's dependent, seems to be strong enough to defy US Treasury strictures in order to improve economic relations with Syria. Egyptian firms are doing the same thing. This does not bode well for US sanctions, which may end up harming American interests more than they do Syrian interests. <\/p>\n
\n

Syrian Oil Minister Sufian al-Alao said Monday Syria and Iraq<\/a> have signed a deal under which Syria will buy 50 million cubic feet a day of gas from Iraq. <\/p>\n

\n

Alao said it would take 18 months to set up a 100-kilometer pipeline between Akkaz and Syria's Deir Ezzor gas plant. He said the Syrian and Iraqi governments had already bought the equipment necessary to to set up the pipeline inside their respective territories. He declined to reveal financial details of the agreement. There are three wells at Akkaz are already producing gas and another requires rehabilitation, he said. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

[Comment by Landis<\/strong>] Last week we copied a long story on how India was bucking pressure from Washington<\/a> in order to sign a 16 billion dollar gas deal with Iran. Indian authorities announced that they refused to treat Iran as if it were Zimbabwe. This week, Turkey is standing up to Washington's pressure in order to negotiate a gas deal with Iran. It seems that the desire for energy will undercut US efforts to use trade as its major weapon against Iran and Syria.<\/p>\n

Iran, Turkey to discuss gas projects<\/a>
Monday, May 5, 2008
ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News<\/p>\n

A Turkish delegation is expected to visit Iranian capital Tehran to discuss natural gas projects, Tehran Times quoted the Iranian deputy oil minister as saying Saturday.<\/p>\n

“An Iranian expert group visited Turkey at the beginning of this year and Turkish officials requested more details on offshore and onshore features of phases 22-24 of the South Pars gas field… we hope to clear things up here in Tehran,” Hossein Noqrehkar Shirazi told the Moj news agency.<\/p>\n

Delegations from Turkey and Iran met in Ankara last month to solidify the memorandum of understanding signed last year to develop Iran's three phases in the South Pars gas field.<\/p>\n

Energy Minister Hilmi Güler signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran's former Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh on July 13, 2007 allowing the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) to produce 20 billion cubic meters of natural gas in phases 22, 23 and 24 of Iran's South Pars gas field. The plans also include an agreement to use Iran as a transit country for Turkmenistan's natural gas. <\/p>\n

\n
\n

Iran will pay cash or natural gas in exchange for TPAO's production in the three fields. The annual gas flow expected is 20 billion cubic meters, which amounts to two-thirds of Turkey's gas needs. Gas will be transferred to Turkey through a pipeline to be built by state owned Turkish Pipeline Company (BOTA?) and Iran's concerned companies. <\/p>\n

Some of this gas will be used in Turkey, while the rest will be delivered to Europe, officials said. Turkey acquires around 65 percent of its natural gas from Russia and is looking for ways to divert its sources. Iran, the second-largest gas supplier to Turkey, had difficulties sustaining its natural gas flow to Turkey during previous winters, due to extraordinary cold weather and supply cuts by Turkmenistan. Although the agreement with Iran irked the United States, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an defended the deal. <\/p>\n

“We import oil and natural gas. We want to reduce the amount we pay for imports,” Erdo?an said. “Iran would let Turkey develop three gas wells without a tender process as part of the deal, which will also allow gas to be piped from Iran and Turkmenistan to Europe,” he said, adding that it was a really attractive offer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

At a cost of 600 million dollars<\/strong>, Egyptian investors will build the largest cement factory in the Middle East, in Syria.         <\/p>\n

.. ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?? ???????? ???????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ????? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ????????? ??? ??? 600 ????? ?????. ???? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ????? 60 ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ?????. ????? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ??????????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ??????????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ??????????? ?? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ??????????<\/p>\n

?????? ?????????? ???????? ?????. ????? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ??????????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ??????????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ??????????? ?? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ??????????<\/p>\n

By Nadim Issa, May 5 (Bloomberg) — Syria's Minister of Communication and Technology Imad Al Sabouni said U.S. political and economic pressure on Syria has played a major role in thwarting Syria's attempt to get international bidders to install high-speed broadband Internet lines in the country, Syriasteps reported.<\/p>\n

The ministry plans to expand the Internet network to provide services for 400,000 people by 2011 to meet rising demand, the newspaper reported, citing Al Sabouni.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 US Sanctions against Syria sometimes backfire. In the case of Gulfsands, the US executives of the oil firm were forced to resign and the company moved its headquarters from Houston to London in a bid to retain its business with Syria. Rather than dump Syria, the company dumped America and cut its exposure to Americans. 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