Tag Archives: france

Business/Economics, International

World War 3: Iran makes Oil offer to European countries. But still; France, Britain No Oil For You!

Iran has made a new oil deal offer to European countries, except the countries of Britain and France: “They must know that our country is in a position which must be talked to and treated on equal standing and through mutual respect, and they must forget about their past empires and exploiting other countries.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry of Iran

For all other European countries Iran is willing to continue shipping oil to them if: “They…must sign medium, or long term contracts covering periods of three to five years….and ban….oil customers from unilaterally canceling their contracts.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry of Iran

Iranian officials say that by signing the long term contracts European countries could get a fixed price for Iranian oil.  If they don’t sign contracts, then no more oil for you: “We make decisions in our own country and we have sanctioned hostile states; if other countries do not specify their decision about long term oil contracts, Tehran will make a decision about them as well.”-Rostam Qassemi, Oil Minister of Iran

Iranian officials claim they don’t really need the European market, saying only 18% of all of Iran’s oil production goes to Europe.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & What Economic Recovery? Bail out delays; Greece needs loans equal to its total GDP! Greece warned of Third World status. Greeks believe the World is against them, sinister plots

February 20, 2012, European Union finance minister, Johan van Overtveldt, said one of the reasons bail out loans keep getting put on hold is because everyday new problems are revealed.

He says Greece now needs loans at least equal to its GDP, in order to get through the next few years: “So we are talking now about a package that in reality is about 200 billion euros, which happens to be exactly the amount equal to Greek gross domestic product.”

Overtveldt also said what many independent, and traditional economists have been saying; that cuts to Greek government spending will only make things worse: “The negative spiral in which the Greek economy and Greek society have been imprisoned for almost two years will only get worse. The austerity program that is imposed on the country will worsen the recession, which in its turn will worsen the budget outlook.”

He added that it was probably a good thing for Greece to leave the European Union: “It will lead, of course, to a devaluation of the new drachma but that is exactly what is needed to get the economy growing again through international trade.”

In fact many Greeks have been wanting their government to leave the EU, because they think it’s all part of a sinister plot.

Greek author, politician and songwriter, Mikis Theodorakis, says there is a conspiracy to destroy his country: “Germans, for instance, as well as the French, English and Americans, earned billions of Euros from annual sales of war materials, to the detriment of our national wealth….Siemens, for instance, maintained a special department for buying off the influential Greeks in order to sell its products in the Greece market.”

Theodorakis might be right about his beloved Greece being destroyed.  Economist Harlan Green, said the Mediterranean country is on its way to Third World status, and implied that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was behind it: “Greece is sliding very quickly into being a third world country, and the IMF knows how to deal with third world countries.”

As far as sinister plots go; don’t forget that the new unelected Prime Minister of Greece is a member of the Trilateral Commission!

…there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. sanctions against Iran means death knell for French steel factory

On February 20, 2012, French steel workers are occupying the ArcelorMittal steel plant in northeast France.  Two blast furnaces have been shut down since October 2011.

I’ve posted how U.S. sanctions against Iran include the steel industry, and it’s having negative affects, not for Iran but the West!

The shut down of the ArcelorMittal blast furnaces is supposed to be temporary, but last week company officials announced an extension to the shut down.  About 200 employees responded by taking over company offices.  Employees fear the temporary shut down is going to become permanent, no thanks in part to the U.S. and European sanctions against Iran.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & World War 3: United States increasingly isolated over Sanctions against Iran. India and Japan still buying Iranian oil. South Korea gets exemption

“India’s decision to walk out of step with the international community on Iran isn’t just a slap in the face for the U.S. – it raises questions about its ability to lead. The Indian government’s ill-advised statement last week that it will continue to purchase oil from Iran is a major setback for the U.S. attempt to isolate the Iranian government…”-Nicholas Burns, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs

India joins a growing list of countries basically telling the U.S., and U.K., to go stuff themselves.  Indian government officials are working with Indian companies to create a system that will let them pay for Iranian oil with Indian rupees.

In Japan, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, says they will continue buying Iranian oil despite pressure from the U.S. government. Showa Shell Sekiyu KK is Japan’s 5th largest refinery, and uses 100,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil.  Officials say they are affiliated with Royal Dutch Shell, but they operate independently and have their own contracts with Iran.  This is also why Iran has not stopped oil shipments to Japan (Royal Dutch Shell is a British/U.S./Dutch controlled company).

Then there’s South Korea, which has managed to convince U.S. lawmakers to exempt more than 2,000 Korean companies from the sanctions.  Not only that, but South Korea’s Woori Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Korea, do business directly with Iran Central Bank.  Their transactions are done in Korean money, thus avoiding the U.S. petro-dollar.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran cuts off oil supplies for two European countries, oil already more than $120 per barrel

February 19, 2012, Iran has officially shut off oil supplies to oil companies from United Kingdom and France!

“We have our own oil customers and replacements for these companies have already been chosen, and we will sell the crude oil to new customers instead of the British and French companies.”-Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar, Iranian Oil Ministry

However, Britain and France are not major European buyers of Iranian oil (Italy is).  About 3% of oil bought by France comes from Iran, and only 1% makes up Britain’s oil use.

Iran’s move to block oil shipments to Europe came after Europe joined the U.S. in imposing an oil embargo.  Iranian officials have repeatedly said that it’s Western countries that will be hurt most from a loss of Iranian oil.

In some countries the price of a barrel of oil has already gone over $120.00.

International, U.S.

Resolution against Syria passes UN General Assembly, France pushes for new Security Council Resolution

The United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution calling for Syria’s president to step down.  However, since it is non-binding the UN can not force the issue.

France is making a new push for a new UN Security Council resolution.  This new resolution is focusing on using UN Peacekeeping forces to enforce access to humanitarian aid.  Russia might support such a resolution.

12 countries voted against the UN General Assembly resolution. They are: Bolivia, Belarus, Cuba, China, Ecuador, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

15 countries abstained: Angola, Armenia, Fiji, Cameroon, Comoros, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Saint Vincent, Suriname, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Uganda and Vietnam.

 

International, U.S.

Red Horse & Evil United States: U.S. backed Libyan Rebels make Gaddafi look good

“A year ago Libyans risked their lives to demand justice. Today their hopes are being jeopardized by lawless armed militias who trample human rights with impunity.”-Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International

Amnesty International has documented cases of torture and murder of Libyans, by the U.S. and European backed rebel forces.

A year ago the United States, and European countries, revealed their support for rebellion in Libya.  The reason, they claimed, was to bring freedom and stop human rights violations.  A year later Amnesty International says things are even worse under the rule of the U.S. backed rebels!

“Militias in Libya are largely out of control and the blanket impunity they enjoy only encourages further abuses and perpetuates instability and insecurity.”–-Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International

In the past few weeks Amnesty International visited prisons in Libya.  They found people who had been tortured to the point of confessing to crimes they did not commit.  They also found evidence that at least 12 people had been tortured to death.  The torture included beatings and electrocutions.  So much for the promise of U.S. style freedom and an end to human rights violations!

Observers even witnessed the torture, that’s how confident the U.S. backed rebels feel.  They saw people being beaten mercilessly, one rebel doing the beating said it’s that or kill the prisoners: “…those from Tawargha will not be released or we’ll kill them.”  

Rebels are taking revenge on the people of Tawargha, for their support of Gaddafi.  The ineffectual, and U.S. backed, Trans National Council government is not doing anything to stop rebel militias from wanton tortures and killings.

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Iranian media reports suggest that Iran is about to cut off oil to 6 European countries, lack of Human Rights in Europe being blamed

February 15, 2012, confusing reports in the Iranian media.  Unofficial sources (like PressTV, it is not an official Iranian media source) are saying that Iran has blocked oil shipments to six European countries.

However, official sources (like Islamic Republic News Agency [IRNA]) say only that ambassadors from six European countries have been summed to the Iranian government, to discuss “issues”.

The six countries are Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, and Netherlands.

The IRNA is quoting Iran’s Director General of West Europe Affaires at Foreign Ministry, Hassan Tajik: “Our response is that sanctions cannot affect Iranians’ will, rather, it will have an adverse impact on European people. Europe is in a difficult economic condition and is facing a harsh winter. Iran cannot remain indifferent towards EU oil ban. We do not have any problem in terms of finding customers for our oil and selling it to other countries. However, based on humanitarian policies and given the conditions of European countries, we have decided to send a serious message to the Europeans which are parties to oil contracts. We can instantly replace oil customers.”

In other words it seems like Iran has identified which European countries it would cut off, and has given them warning, but they have not actually cut off the oil at this point.

It’s interesting that Iran is implying that violation of human rights within Europe is a main factor in their decision to possibly cut off the oil.

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Bailout deal for Greece taking so long because Germany doesn’t think it will be paid back. Germany preparing for Greece to leave the EU

“We are ready to help. But once again: we have and want only to help if there is something in return from the Greek side.”-Philipp Roesler, German Economy Minister

Early morning February 13, the Greek Parliament approved the latest round of social cuts, despite members of Parliament threatening to quit. The move comes after German Economy Minister, Philipp Roesler, gave a TV interview in which he said it’s all about Greece being able to convince the rest of Europe that they can pay back future bailout loans.

Roesler also implied that Germany and France have been working to position the EU, so if Greece was to exit the European Union (and default) it would not have an adverse affect on the EU.  He said such a move is now “less and less scary”.