Author: Aylin D. Miller

INTERVIEW-Turkey, Syria to create a joint oil company

Thu Jul 17, 2008 2:34pm IST

By Orhan Coskun

ANKARA, July 17 (Reuters) – Turkey and Syria’s state owned oil companies will establish a joint firm this year to develop their oilfields, the head of Turkey’s state oil company TPAO told Reuters.

“The completion of the company’s establishment is targeted for 2008. The purpose of the company is to produce oil from fields in Syria, Turkey and third countries,” said TPAO general manager Mehmet Uysal.

He added the company will first look for production opportunities in Syria before Turkey and third countries.

Private sector energy experts say they are still trying to determine the extent of Syria’s oilfields. Existing fields are in need of investment for development.

TPAO plans on exploring extensively in the Black Sea, where it already has operations, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.

Uysal also said Turkey, during Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s trip to Iraq earlier this month, won approval to form a consortium to bid for oil exploration rights in Iraq.

“We have ongoing talks to make an deal with Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile, Research) regarding exploration,” said Uysal.

Iraq’s oil ministry has finished negotiations with oil majors on six short-term oil service contracts and hopes to sign the deals in July.

In the absence of a long-delayed national oil law, Baghdad has been negotiating short-term technical service contracts. The deals are worth around $500 million each.

Five of the deals that have been under discussion are with Royal Dutch Shell, Shell in partnership with BHP Billiton (BHP.AX: Quote, Profile, Research), BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research), Exxon Mobil (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Chevron (CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) in partnership with Total (TOTF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research).

Source: Reuters, July 17, 2008

July 20, 2008
Iran, Turkey seek stronger energy cooperation

Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki on Saturday held talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on ways to expand comprehensive cooperation especially in energy sector.

“Fortunately, the train of bilateral relations is moving in a good condition. Joint agreements on energy and building an electricity power plant are underway and the memoranda of understanding on cooperation in South Pars gas filed are in the final process,” Mottaki stated.

He expressed hope that the implementation of Article 44 of the Constitution which calls for the privatization of state-run economy will provide the ground for further cooperation between the two neighbors’ private sectors.

Erdogan, for his part, said political, economic, and cultural relations between Tehran and Ankara have considerably improved over the past years.

“We hope that the implementation of power plant and refinery projects in Iran by Turkish companies will provide the ground for further expansion of relations.”

Iran announced in early July that the construction of a 600-million-euro pipeline to transfer Iran’s natural gas to Turkey and Europe will begin soon.

“”A 56-inch-diameter pipeline will be extended to Iran’s border point of Bazargan to boost gas exports to Turkey and Europe,”” Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Reza Kasaeizadeh said.

Kasaeizadeh expressed hope that the project would soon be put out to tender, saying that the 420-kilometer pipeline is of paramount importance for Iran.

Turkish prime minister said, “We believe that the Iran-Turkey-Europe gas route should be on the top agenda of the two countries.”

Source: Tehran Times, July 20, 2008

July 20, 2008
Azerbaijani political scientists are sceptical about that Turkey will establish relations with Armenia

[ 19 Jul 2008 12:23 ]

Baku. Tamara Grigorieva –APA. “I don’t think that contacts between Turkey and Armenia can reach a level of negotiations because usually negotiations have concrete subject”, political scientist Rasim Musabeyov told APA.

Commenting the secret talks between the Turkish and Armenian diplomats in Switzerland, Musabeyov said level of representation of the sides was not clear. “I think the press overstates the weight of this meeting. The countries continue such contacts for almost 15 years”. Musabeyov said there was no ground for the serious progress in the Turkish-Armenian relations today. Political scientists Rustam Mammadov said Armenia was seeking alternative gateways to Europe now. In his opinion triangle game between Armenia, Iran and Russia gives no result for a long time and significance of Armenian-Turkish factor is increasing in this plan. The expert doesn’t believe that Turkey will establish relations with Armenia without solution of the problem of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He said probably the issue was put on agenda in such a manner at the meeting. Deputy Executive Secretary of New Azerbaijan Party, political observer and member of the parliament Mubariz Gurbanli said it would negatively impact on Azerbaijani-Turkish relations if Turkey began negotiations and signed documents with Armenia. He is doubtful of any official meeting between Armenia and Turkey. Gurbanli said he was against establishing relations between Turkey and Armenia without solution of Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh problem. The expert emphasized that problems between Turkey and Armenia existed before the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Source:

July 20, 2008
Son of Mountains

‘Son of Mountains’ is an extraordinary book that charts its course through one of the most poignant and disturbing memoirs of recent years.

Written by Kurdish/American Yasin Aref, ‘Son of Mountains’ was published in 2008 and is already entering its second print run. It is a memoir of Aref’s life from his days as a Kurdish child living in Iraq; fleeing to Syria where he worked as a gardener; to emigrating to the US through UN approved channels. Tragically for Aref and his family, that is not where the story ends.

‘Son of Mountains’ was written by Aref while in custody in a New York State prison. Arrested on charges of ‘terrorism,’ the book took shape in the six months he spent in detention between his conviction in Oct 2006 and his sentencing in 2007.

Born the son of a farmer, Aref recounts vividly his early years working as a labourer in Kirkuk, the influence of the poetry of Omar Khayyam—recalled from memory— on his own idealism and the abject poverty he and his kin experienced. We follow his trials and share in his frustrations: while Kirkuk was “one of the largest centres of the oil industry in the world…we had to wait for hours in line to buy smuggled gasoline.”

After being granted UN refugee status, Aref and his family arrived in the US in 1999. Although life was tough, it was relatively peaceful. Aref struggled to support his young children, working several jobs. Finally he was asked to be the Iman [sic.] of a mosque in Albany and he accepted, feeling that this was a calling for him.

In 2003, it all started to go against him. The alleged discovery of his name and contact details in a notebook in Iraq triggered a protracted FBI ‘sting’ operation which culminated in his arrest, hearing and sentencing on March 8 2007 to fifteen years in jail for: ‘support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy with a weapon of mass destruction, money laundering and lying to the government.’

Aref remains in custody, his future uncertain. For his family too, the future is uncertain and potentially treacherous for all of them. If you ever had doubts that the ‘War on Terror’ did not also signal a war on personal freedoms, a war on common sense and a war on cultures and identities you must read this book.

‘Son of Mountains: My Life as a Kurd and a Terror Suspect‘ by Yassin Aref

Troy Bookmakers, Troy, New York, 2008.

Source: What’s On Syria

July 20, 2008
Syria-Turkey launch 18 new development projects

The Syria-Turkey Inter-Regional Cooperation Program (STICP) approved 18 services, cultural and economic projects on July 1.

During a STICP meeting in Aleppo, the program’s committee for selecting projects chose the 18 projects out of 54 nominated for implementation on the basis of their priority and contribution to bilateral cooperation, economic development and employment, as well as the likelihood of long term success.

The approved projects include a border safety center, renovating the Gaziantep highway, establishing a tourism police station and renovating the al-Soda border checkpoint. They will be implemented over three years.

Governor of Aleppo Tamer al-Hajjeih said the STICP was an important tool in enhancing Syrian-Turkish ties. “Through such projects, the program is helping to foster the exchange of expertise between Syria and Turkey,” Hajjeih said.

Turkish State Planning Commission representative Farouq Delk said Turkey is presently implementing 42 projects at a value of USD 7.4m.

STICP was launched in 2005 between the Syrian governorate of Aleppo and the Turkish governorates of Killes, Onkobinar Gate and Gaziantep at a budget of USD 20m split equally between the two countries.

Source: Syria Today, 16 July 2008

July 20, 2008
Putin focusing on relations with Turkey

Former Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on May 8, 2008.

(UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)

MOSCOW, July 19 (UPI) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin spoke with his Turkish counterpart Saturday in an effort to improve relations between the two nations, a spokesman says.Government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin focused on economic and trade relations while speaking with Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ITAR-TASS reported.

The two prime ministers also discussed a group of young Russian travelers who endured a litany of problems during a visit to Turkey.

Erdogan assured Putin a Turkish official was en route to the Turkish city of Antayla to assist the young travelers with any difficulties.

Peskov told ITAR-TASS that Putin wants Russian Minister of Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy Vitaly Mutko to play a more active role in Russian tourism to ensure such international travel problems do not occur in the future.

Source: United Press International, July 19, 2008

July 20, 2008