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As much as anyone would like to believe otherwise, there is only one thing that was holding France and Russia back from agreeing with the US invasion of Iraq: money. It had nothing to do with compassion, or concern for innocent civilians. These countries both had serious money invested with Saddam and wanted a return on investment. Well, it looks like they got what they wanted, so let the bombs begin!!! http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/7-11-19102-0-6-36.html Sharing the oil is key to a deal IAN BRUCE Analysis THE key to calming French and Russian fears over the White House's hard-line approach to a UN security council vote on Iraq later this week, is the post-Saddam control of the country's vast untapped reserves of oil. Moscow, Paris and to a lesser extent Beijing all have vested interests in multi-billion-pound contracts to develop and maintain fields which contain the world's second-largest source of crude after neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Russia's Lukoil has the largest potential stake, with a 23-year deal worth £2bn to exploit the West Qurnah field. France's TotalFinaElf is negotiating to develop the Majnoon field and its 30 billion barrels of black gold. China's state-owned national petroleum corporation has a contract to repair and bring back on stream part of the Rumailah production area damaged in the 1991 Gulf war. All three governments suspect that toppling Saddam and installing a US-controlled military administration would lead inevitably to a carve-up of the oil riches among American corporations to the exclusion of their own firms. The importance of Iraq's embarrassment of underground riches has now become George W Bush's best bargaining chip in the tortuous negotiations over the wording of the final UN resolution as a probable prelude to war. James Woolsey, former director of the CIA, favours dangling the carrot of involvement as an incentive to follow the US line. He said: "France and Russia have oil companies and interests in Iraq. They should be told that, if they are of assistance in moving Iraq towards decent government, then we'll do the best we can to ensure that the new administration in Baghdad and US companies work closely with them. "If they throw in their lot with Saddam, or oppose his downfall, then it could be difficult to the point of impossibility to persuade the new, democratic Iraqi government to work with them." Faisal Qaragholi, an oil engineer who directs the London office of the Iraqi National Congress, the umbrella opposition group backed by the US, added: "We will review all existing contracts. Our oil policies should be directed by a government elected by the Iraqi people for their benefit." Viktor Kremenyuk, deputy-director of the USA-Canada institute in Moscow, said last night: "Resolving the Iraq problem is all about the rivalry surrounding the country's oil bonanza. How it is managed is the key." - Nov 7th --- Hassan Zeini <hasseini@maktoob.com> wrote: > From > http://www.washtimes.com/world/20021104-6245236.htm > > Ambassador punished > > NEW YORK — The U.N. ambassador of Mauritius, > Jagdish Koonjul, was > recalled by his government because he did not openly > back Washington's position on > Iraq in the U.N. Security Council, diplomats said. > The Mauritian foreign minister, Anil Gayan, was > quoted as telling reporters > that Mr. Koonjul had not followed instructions and > "gave the impression that > Mauritius was against the U.S.-drafted resolution on > Iraq," the Pan African News > Agency reported. > Mr. Koonjul, a favorite of journalists and many > diplomats, left for Port > Louis, the Mauritian capital, on Friday, diplomats > said. He had not opposed the > draft U.S. resolution openly, but he did not endorse > it publicly either. > Mauritius began its two-year term on the > 15-member council in January 2001 > after a successful U.S. campaign against the > candidacy of Sudan. President Bush is > planning a visit there in January. > > (END) > ------------------------------ > > Mauritius' U.N. Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul had said, > "As long as we do not > have an agreement on a resolution, we feel that > there are enough (existing) > resolutions which will allow the inspectors to carry > out their work," he said. > > That is why the man was punished... > > HZ > > _________________________________________________________ > Are you informed? Do you know what is happening > around the world? You are one click away. Go to > Maktoob News. > http://www.maktoob.com/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against > Sanctions on Iraq. > To unsubscribe, visit > http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss > To contact the list manager, email > casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk > All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? U2 on LAUNCH - Exclusive greatest hits videos http://launch.yahoo.com/u2 _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk