Egypt terminates 2005 gas deal with Israel

A pipeline delivering gas from Egypt to Israel near the city of al-Arish in northeastern Egypt burns following an attack on March 5, 2012.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/237588.html

Egypt has repealed a 2005 gas export accord with Israel, which used to rely heavily on Egyptian natural gas to generate electricity.

The deal was "annulled on Thursday with the East Mediterranean Gas Co (EMG), which exports gas to Israel, because the company failed to respect conditions stipulated in the contract," Mohamed Shoeib, the chairman of state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, told AFP on Sunday.

The provision of gas to Israel has constantly formed a contentious topic among the Egyptian public, which views Tel Aviv as an enemy and opposes engaging in any form of business with it.

The deal would oblige Egypt to supply gas to Israel as one of the main economic conditions of a US-sponsored 1979 peace treaty between the two sides.

In line with the USD-2.5-billion export deal, Israel would receive around 40 percent of its gas supply from Egypt at an extremely low price.

According to the results of an opinion poll, conducted for Press TV and published on October 3, 2011, 73 percent of the Egyptian respondents opposed the terms of the agreement.

The country used to be Tel Aviv’s strongest Arab ally during the roughly-30-year-long rule of former dictator Hosni Mubarak, who was deposed in a popular revolution in February 2011.

Egypt to open Rafah border crossing

Palestinian doctors demonstrate in front of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on April 27, 2011demanding the end of the siege by Israel on the Gaza Strip and the opening of the Rafah crossing. (File photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/177238.html

Egypt is preparing to permanently open the Rafah border crossing in a move that would allow people and goods to enter and exit the Gaza Strip.

Reports say Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi said in an interview with Al-Jazeera on Thursday that the crossing will be opened within ten days.

Al-Arabi stated that the move is aimed at easing the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and at alleviating the “blockade and suffering of the Palestinian people.”

Over 1.5 million people in the coastal strip have been living under an Israeli siege since June 2007.

The plan indicates a change in policy following Egypt's recent uprising which ousted the longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Meanwhile, a deal has been reached for a unity government between the Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah after negotiations were held in the Cairo. Fatah has presided over the Israeli-occupied West Bank since 2007.

Hamas and Fatah have been at odds since the former won the Palestinian parliamentary elections in January 2006.

Russia to suspend gasoline exports

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/177245.html

The Russian Energy Ministry has halted the exports of refined petroleum products for May, 2011, since the country has run out of fuel in some regions.

Since Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested that pump prices be restrained in February, the oil situation in Russia has entered a period of crisis, and fuel companies have sought higher prices in other countries, The Moscow Times reports.

"I think that in May we must satisfy our own demand with the help of export cutbacks. As of today we have made an agreement that oil companies will deliver all volumes [of gasoline] to the domestic market," Deputy Energy Minister Sergei Kudryashov said at an emergency meeting with oil companies.

The amount of Russian petrol exported by rail in the first three months of this year rose to be 40 per cent higher than it was in the same period last year, which, in turn, caused the fuel stations in some parts of the country, including St Petersburg, to start running dry.

Officials have reported scenes of "panic" at filling stations in the Tomsk, Belgorod and Voronezh regions in western Russia, which have been hardest hit by gasoline shortage.

Russia is quite well-known for its exports of crude oil, but in terms of refined oil, the country lacks fame.

Russia exported only about three million tons of refined oil products in 2010 -- a fraction of total oil and gas exports, which are mostly made up of unrefined products.

The Energy Ministry said in a statement Thursday that supplies had been restored in the Altai region, but shortages have also been felt in Lipetsk, Kemerovo and Tula, where supplies of high octane gasoline are down to three to five days, the ministry said.

Other affected regions include Novosibirsk and Sakhalin. It has also been reported that some fuel blends had begun to run out in Smolensk on Thursday.

Oil companies have blamed the shortages on government support for car sales, which resulted in a boom of 1.91 million units sold in 2010, up 30 per cent on 2009, and a simultaneous policy of suppressing gasoline retail prices.

Rosneft and LUKoil -- Russia's two largest oil producers -- plan to set up corporate structures for Arctic transit and offshore exploration projects by August 1 as the companies seek to maintain output.

Russia slams EU gas pipeline law

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/166917.html

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rejects a proposed EU amendment meant to stop the gas monopoly in Europe -- splitting the role of gas supplier and pipeline operator.

"We've been told that those who own the gas should not own the means of distribution. They argue that we must allow a third party to participate, then immediately the price will grow," a Press TV correspondent quoted Putin as saying in Brussels on Thursday.

"The mechanical implementation of this package will lead to an increase of the energy crisis," said Putin, adding that "after these pipes have been separated... they would need to increase the transportation price which will...lead to a greater price for gas."

He noted that the proposed laws discriminate against Russia, are politically motivated, and inacceptable with business.

“Our companies, together with German partners, legally acquired distribution assets,” Putin said, adding that “now they are being thrown out. What is this then? What is this robbery?”

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso insisted that Moscow was not singled out, emphasizing that the legislation applies equally across the board.

"We are very good clients in the European Union, so, I think it is in the interest of both Russia and the European Union to have a predictable approach to those issues," said Barroso.

Barroso added that "we're asking foreign companies to accept the same rules we're implementing," which includes big non-EU gas exporters such as Norway

Iran, India to counter 'Taliban threat'

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali Fathollahi (R)
meets with India's Foreign Minister S M Krishna



Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=137632§ionid=351020101


Top Iranian and Indian officials have agreed to "counter the threat of Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan" and boost their economic and energy ties.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali Fathollahi met with Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao in New Delhi where the two sides discussed a range of issues from cooperation in establishing regional security to expanding bilateral ties.

"Ways to stem the influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and its backers in Pakistan figured prominently in the discussions," Sify News quoted informed sources as saying on Thursday.

The sources added that Tehran and India agreed "to stay in close touch over Afghanistan to safeguard their interests in the wake of the Taliban reintegration process."

Last month, Iranian and Indian officials also reached consensus on pressing forward with the India-aided Iranian Chabahar port to ease New Delhi's access to both Afghanistan and Central Asia.

"They also decided to firm up a regional approach that will include closer cooperation with Russia in averting a Taliban takeover that some fear may happen after US troops begin to withdraw from that country," the report said.

India sees Iranian cooperation crucial to preventing Taliban militants from gaining control of Afghanistan.

Iran's IRNA news agency also reported on Fathollahi talks with India's Foreign Minister S M Krishnaon on a wide range of bilateral issues, including energy and economic ties.

Tehran, Ankara seal pipeline deal

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=135937&sectionid=351020103


Tehran and Ankara have reportedly signed a deal to build a one-billion-euro pipeline that will ultimately export Iran's natural gas to Europe.

Oil Minster Masoud Mirkazemi on Friday confirmed that the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGC) and Turkey's ASB Co. have signed a contract to build a 660-kilometer pipeline that will cross Turkey.

Based on the contract signed on Thursday, the pipeline is expected to be completed over the next three years and upon completion it will export 50 to 60 million meters of gas per day, head of the NIGC Javad Oji said in an interview on the oil ministry's Website Shana.

In October 2009, during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Tehran, the two countries signed memorandums of understanding on oil and gas cooperation as well as transferring Iran's gas to European markets via Turkey.

Iran currently exports 25 million cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey per day and the figure could be increased to 30 million cubic meters a day.