Saturday, February 17, 2018

Viktor Katona — Russia Is Taking Over Syria’s Oil And Gas

In accordance with an energy cooperation framework agreement signed in late January, Russia will have exclusive rights to produce oil and gas in Syria.
The agreement goes significantly beyond that, stipulating the modalities of the rehabilitation of damaged rigs and infrastructure, energy advisory support, and training a new generation of Syrian oilmen. Still, the main international aspect and the key piece of this move is the final and unconditional consolidation of Russian interests in the Middle East....
Details follow. It is a daunting task to rebuild Syria's destroyed infrastructure. Iran and China are pitching in, while the US is trying to hang on as best it can without legitimacy.

Oil Price
Russia Is Taking Over Syria’s Oil And Gas
Viktor Katona | Group Physical Trader at MOL Group and Expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, currently based in Budapest

See also
There are even more deals in the pipe than this. As the energy ties slowly but steadily grow, the need for international cooperation in matters of security and defense in states like Syria, Iran, and Iraq also rise. For a long time the United States has been the big military power player in the region, but now with these developments, the West is being eased out of its decades-long role.
Russia Feed
Russia seals key energy pacts with Saudis, shaking up US Mideast dominance
Seraphim Hanisch

Also
The occupied Syrian Golan Heights will “remain in Israel’s hands forever”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared durin a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
SouthFront

2 comments:

Noah Way said...

Soft power vs hard power, a.k.a. 'hearts and minds'.

Tom Hickey said...

The tell that the tide has turned when the US begins drawing down. This has not happened yet, but it will. The empire is becoming over-stretched.

For example, the latest national security reports basically admits that the US can only hang on by using tactical nukes first.

The vise is tightening.