CARVE-UP OF OIL RICHES BEGINS
Peter Beaumont and Faisal Islam, Observer (UK), 11/3/02
http://www.observer.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,825099,00.html
The leader of the London-based Iraqi National Congress, Ahmed Chalabi, has
met executives of three US oil multinationals to negotiate the carve-up of
Iraq's massive oil reserves post-Saddam.
Disclosure of the meetings in October in Washington - confirmed by an INC
spokesman - comes as Lord Browne, the head of BP, has warned that British
oil companies have been squeezed out of post-war Iraq even before the first
shot has been fired in any US-led land invasion.
Confirming the meetings to US journalists, INC spokesman Zaab Sethna said:
'The oil people are naturally nervous. We've had discussions with them, but
they're not in the habit of going around talking about them.'
Disclosure of talks between the oil executives and the INC - which enjoys
the support of Bush administration officials - is bound to exacerbate
friction on the UN Security Council between permanent members and
veto-holders Russia, France and China, who fear they will be squeezed out
of a post-Saddam oil industry in Iraq…
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