Russia welcomes adoption of counter terrorist legislation by China.

Russia welcomes adoption of counter terrorist legislation by China.(RBTH).

Russia is confident that the adoption of legislation on fighting terrorism in China will help further consolidate counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.

"We are confident that the adoption of the said legislative act will help further consolidate dynamically developing Russian-Chinese counter terrorism cooperation within the framework of privileged strategic partnership between our two countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary available on its website on Dec. 30.


The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China passed legislation on fighting terrorism on Dec. 27.

Moscow and Beijing "stand up concordantly in favor of preserving the UN's central coordinating role in global anti terrorist efforts, which should be free from politicization and preconditions, setting up a broad antiterrorist coalition to combat ISIS [a terrorist organization banned in Russia], and taking comprehensive measures to oppose the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters, including in the context of lowering risks for the Central Asian region," it said.


"Not only do Russia and China impartially assess the complicated antiterrorist situation in the world, but they also display preparedness to take joint measures to correct it," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

New law allows China's People's Liberation Army to undertake counter terror missions overseas.

New law allows China's People's Liberation Army to undertake counter terror missions overseas. (NewsIcrosschina).

A new Counterterrorism Law makes it legal for China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) to get involved in antiterror operations abroad.

According to the law approved by China's top legislature on Sunday afternoon, the PLA and China's armed police forces could carry out counterterror missions overseas with the approval of the Central Military Commission.

Public security and national security authorities could also send personnel overseas for counter-terrorist missions, but these must be approved by the State Council and agreements signed with the countries concerned.

China has studied U.S. and European Union laws in drafting its own counterterrorism bill which requires tech firms to assist security authorities to prevent and investigate terrorism, an legislative official said here Sunday.

At a press conference held at the end of a week-long session of China's top legislature, Li Shouwei of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee legislative affairs commission, admitted that a number of countries and enterprises had voiced concerns about certain provisions in the law.

He pointed to Article 18 of the new law, which requires telecom operators and internet service providers to provide technical support and assistance, including decryption, to police and national security authorities in prevention and investigation of terrorist activities.

Li said the rule accorded with the actual work need of fighting terrorism and was basically the same as what other major countries in the world do.

"The clause reflects lessons China has learnt from other countries and is a result of wide solicitation of public opinion," he added.

"(It) will not affect companies' normal business nor install backdoors to infringe intellectual property rights, or ... citizens freedom of speech on the internet and their religious freedom," Li said.    

The law, which goes into effect January 1, was criticized by Western countries while it was being drafted, particularly over its cyber provisions. U.S. President Barack Obama and the U.S. State Department objected publicly to the law's requirement that overseas technology firms submit product encryption keys to the Chinese government as a condition for doing business in China.

 A key is a way of encoding messages so that two parties using communications software can exchange messages privately without fear of eavesdropping.

Iran Threatens Saudi Arabia: "The IRGC...Will Take Vengeance" On The Al-Sa'ud Regime;

Iran Threatens Saudi Arabia: "The IRGC...Will Take Vengeance" On The Al-Sa'ud Regime; "Our Responses Will Be... Harsh And Decisive" HT: Memri.

In recent days, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the top echelons of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dispatched threatening messages to Saudi Arabia's rulers in response to the hundreds of Iranians killed in the stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, which claimed the lives of over a thousand Hajj pilgrims.

Khamenei, along with IRGC commanders and ideological camp leaders, were furious at the Saudi royal family, holding it responsible for the disaster and promising a "harsh and decisive" response if Saudi Arabia continued what they called its deliberate anti-Iran conduct.

The daily Kayhan, which is close to Khamenei, even claimed that Saudi authorities had intentionally caused the stampede after it was planned by the Israeli Mossad.

In fact, in the past 18 months, Iran has repeatedly threatened Saudi Arabia and the Al-Sa'ud royal family, as tensions between the two countries escalated against the backdrop of the nuclear negotiations, the Saudi policy of lowering oil prices, and the wars in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.

Thus, for example, Iran's leadership threatened to "use all means at its disposal against Saudi Arabia," including targeting Saudi oil transports, sparking Shi'ite uprisings in eastern Saudi Arabia, threatening to set oil wells on fire, and more, in order to cause the collapse of the Al-Sa'ud regime." Read the full story here.

Iran oil won’t lead to decrease in oil prices in world markets. - Russian Expert.

Iran oil won’t lead to decrease in oil prices in world markets. - Russian Expert. (Taz).

The lift of sanctions imposed on Iran won’t lead to decrease in oil prices in world markets, Sergey Pikin, director of Russian Energy Development Fund said in an interview with Trend.

Iran will not immediately deliver large volumes of oil to the market, he said, adding that at best, it will be able to increase the oil supply by one million barrels per day throughout a year.

The expert said that it is not such a large volume to have a significant affect on oil prices.

Pikin pointed out that in order to considerably increase the oil production, Iran needs investments worth tens of billions of dollars in oil projects.

“But for the present, Iran is in such a situation that the sanctions can be imposed again and no one will make large volumes of investments,” he added.

Foreign investors will not make serious investments in Iran until it becomes clear that this country fulfills all its obligations, according to the expert.

“If the sanctions imposed on Iran are lifted much later (than planned), this will positively affect the price hike,” said Pikin.

The futures prices for crude Brent oil and WTI oil totaled $52.8 per barrel and $49.47 per barrel, respectively as of Oct.7.

Most analytical agencies do not expect significant growth in oil prices in the short term. Hmmm.....I said it before and say it again, 'Iran will use it's huge stockpile as leverage to gain back their OPEC Share, if OPEC doesn't give in to their demands the will dump all their stocks on the market crashing the OIL market prices.' Nobody wants $20/Barrel prices. Read the full story here.

Confusion continues over Total, Shell gasoline retail sites issue in #Iran: http://t.co/KwmjZhbvEB

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) October 8, 2015

Iran determined to reclaim its share in global oil market: Zanganeh.

Iran determined to reclaim its share in global oil market: Zanganeh. (PressTv).

Iran's oil minister says the Islamic Republic is determined to reclaim its share in global oil markets once sanctions imposed on the country’s energy sector are lifted.

“Immediately after lifting sanctions, it’s our right to return to the level of production we historically had,” Bijan Zangeneh said, adding, “We have no other choice.”

The Iranian minister made the remarks in an interview with Bloomberg, which was published on Wednesday, at the Iranian Oil Ministry in Tehran.

Iran lost part of its share in the global oil market after sanctions were imposed on the country by the United States and the European Union at the beginning of 2012, with Western countries claiming that there was diversion in Iran's nuclear program toward military purposes. Iran rejected Western countries’ claims categorically, insisting that its civilian nuclear program was only meant for peaceful purposes.

Iran reached an agreement with the P5+1 group of countries – the US, the UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia – in Vienna on July 14, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). According to JCPOA, sanctions against Iran's economic sectors, including oil and gas industry, will be lifted in return for certain restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Elsewhere in his interview, Zangeneh said Iran plans to produce 3.8-3.9 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil by March 2016.

He noted that the country will raise its output by 500,000 bpd soon after sanctions are lifted and by 1 million bpd within the following five months.

He added that Iran's oil output currently stands at 2.8 million bpd, which is the highest level the country has achieved in three years, and is exporting more than 1 million bpd.

Referring to the drastic oil price fall in global markets, the Iranian oil minister emphasized that the oil price slump will not slow Iran's return to the market.

Oil has dropped by about half in the past year from more than USD 100 a barrel in September 2014 after the 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided during meetings in December 2014 and June 2015 not to reduce output despite a global crude glut.

In another part of his interview, Zangeneh said most OPEC members would like to see crude prices at $70-$80 a barrel and the organization does not need to coordinate with other oil suppliers to determine output levels.

An oil price at $70-$80 a barrel would be “fair,” he said, adding that OPEC is open to coordinating its action with non-members, although it won’t wait for others to determine or approve its action.
Hmmm.....I said it before and say it again:
1.'Iran will use it's huge stockpile as leverage to gain back their OPEC Share, if OPEC doesn't give in to their demands the will dump all their stocks on the market crashing the OIL market prices.' Nobody wants $20/Barrel prices. 
2.Worst case scenario Iran blocks the strait of Hormuz even if it s for a few weeks the price of oil will sky rocket.

OPEC willing to talk to other oil producers, but vows to protect own interests.

OPEC ready to talk to other oil producers, vows to protect own interests.(Taz).

OPEC stands ready to talk to all other oil producers, but this has to be on a level playing field, the cartel said in its report published on its official website.

“OPEC will protect its own interests. As developing countries, its members, whose economies rely heavily on this one precious resource, can ill afford to do otherwise,” the report said.

OPEC stressed that today’s continuing pressure on oil prices, brought about by higher crude production, coupled with market speculation, remains a cause for concern for OPEC and its members.

“Apart from the obvious loss of much-needed revenue required for member countries’ socio-economic development, there are growing fears that, under the current low-price scenario, investment in future capacity additions will continue to be shelved or cancelled altogether,” OPEC said.

With the long lead times associated with bringing new oil to market, the industry cannot afford a lapse in spending, particularly in view of the long-term expectations for oil demand, which point strongly to a considerable rise in world oil consumption over the next two decades at least, according to the report.

Failure to invest now could mean prices in the coming years spiking to levels inconsistent with what is considered ‘reasonable’ for both producers and consumers, OPEC believes.

“There is no quick fix, but if there is a willingness to face the oil industry’s challenges together, then the prospects for the future have to be a lot better than what everyone involved in the industry has been experiencing over the past nine months or so. Only time will tell,” OPEC stressed.

Global oil market experienced a historic price fall as US oil prices fell below $40 a barrel on Aug. 28 for the first time since the 2009 financial crisis.

OPEC is not due to meet until Dec. 4.

Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, and other Gulf states pushed OPEC's strategy shift last year to defend market share rather than cut output to support prices. Hmmm.....I said it before and say it again, 'Iran will use it's huge stockpile as leverage to gain back their OPEC Share, if OPEC doesn't give in to their demands the will dump all their stocks on the market crashing the OIL market prices.' Nobody wants $20/Barrel prices.

Obama's BFF Iran says OPEC members in favor of $70/b oil price.

Iran says OPEC members in favor of $70/b oil price. (Taz).

Iranian oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that the price of $70-$80 for each barrel of crude oil is fair, and most OPEC members are in favor of it, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported Aug. 29.

“We should make efforts to increase the oil prices in global markets,” Zanganeh said, meanwhile arguing that "Tehran is not concerned about oil price fall”.

“If we are concerned about this issue, so we should stop oil production, but we will not give up our historic share in the world market at any cost,” the minister stressed.

Zanganeh earlier blamed the latest drop in oil prices on some members of OPEC and questioned whether any OPEC emergency meeting would reach an agreement.

"To balance the oil price... OPEC members should balance their production. An emergency meeting has been requested and we don't have a problem with that," the Iranian minister said.

Global oil market experienced a historic price fall as US oil prices fell below $40 a barrel on Aug. 28 for the first time since the 2009 financial crisis.

OPEC is not due to meet until Dec. 4.

Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, and other Gulf states pushed OPEC's strategy shift last year to defend market share rather than cut output to support prices.

Hmmm.....I said it before and say it again, 'Iran will use it's huge stockpile as leverage to gain back their OPEC Share, if OPEC doesn't give in to their demands the will dump all their stocks on the market crashing the OIL market prices.' Nobody wants $20/Barrel prices.

Iran says not willing to give up quota in OPEC, share in world market.

Iran says not willing to give up quota in OPEC, share in world market.(Taz).

Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that Iran will not give up its quota in OPEC and its share in world market.

Speaking on Iranian State TV Aug. 26, Zanganeh said Iran will raise exports even if the oil prices fall.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will by no means ignore its quota in OPEC and the world oil market. We have no problem with slashing of oil prices on the global market because we can double our oil exports,” said Zangeneh, adding, “We should bypass the tyrannical conditions imposed on our country because maintaining Iran quota in OPEC and world market is among our vital parameters.”

“Those should be concerned that have extra income and production in the world markets; On what ground should Iranian government do something to lose its historical share in the oil market just because oil prices should increase,” he said.


Noting that the OPEC members should reconsider current oil production, Zanganeh said to this end, OPEC members have been asked to hold an extraordinary session that will be held if all the 13 members agree to it on consensus. Certain OPEC members do not wish increase in the prices and want to harm other members through low prices as a result of oversupply, he concluded. Hmmm.....I said it before and say it again, 'Iran will use it's huge stockpile as leverage to gain back their OPEC Share, if OPEC doesn't give in to their demands the will dump all their stocks on the market crashing the OIL market prices.' Nobody wants $20/Barrel prices.


Related: 

OPEC to keep "no output cut" policy

OPEC has roughly split into two groups, Pugh said in a report.

“The first group wants to maintain the current output target. This group consists mainly of the wealthier Gulf countries, that is, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. The second group consists of the poorer members of OPEC who want a cut in production, namely Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Algeria, Venezuela, Libya, Angola and Ecuador.”

“The second group outnumber the first by 2-1 and could call an emergency meeting if they wished. (It only needs a simple majority of the 12 members to call an emergency meeting.) But it is largely seen as pointless without the support of Saudi Arabia, by far the group’s largest producer,” Pugh said.
In addition, none of the second group are really in a position to cut their own output, according to the economist.

“Indeed, of the eight countries we put in the second group, both Iran and Iraq are recovering from decades of sanctions and have said they actively plan to pump as much oil as possible, regardless of the price. Libyan output remains disrupted by fighting so barely has any output to cut, and the African and South American members are struggling financially so they need to continue pumping at full blast to maximize revenues,” he said in a report.

“As a result, when these countries call for a cut in the production target, they are really calling for Saudi Arabia and its allies to reduce output,” Pugh said. And he doubts that the first group’s countries are altruistic enough “to cut their production purely to benefit the rest of OPEC and non-OPEC producers, especially as the prime beneficiary would be Saudi Arabia’s long term rival, Iran.”
He also believes that even if an emergency meeting is called, and a production target cut is agreed upon, there is little chance of the group actually sticking to it.

Ex Qatari-oil minister warns OPEC against unilateral output cuts.

Ex Qatari-oil minister warns OPEC against unilateral output cuts. (DS).

KUWAIT CITY: Qatar's veteran former energy minister Abdullah al-Attiyah warned OPEC members Monday against cutting oil output unilaterally because the cartel has lost its role as the world's swing producer.

"OPEC should not do anything because it is not the swing producer" of the past, Attiyah told reporters in Kuwait City.

"They cannot and will not cut [output] unless the main producers outside OPEC join forces," he said.

Attiyah, who led the energy portfolio in gas- and oil-rich Qatar for about two decades, said OPEC should first reach a binding agreement with non-OPEC producers before cutting production.

"Otherwise they will lose market share and others will enjoy high prices and produce more," Attiyah said.

He said OPEC and non-OPEC producers were currently in talks to strike a deal ahead of the organization's meeting early in June.

The days of oil fetching $100 a barrel are over for the foreseeable future, he said, predicting that prices will settle at between $60-70.

Global oil prices dipped Monday as investors took their cue from a rebounding dollar, awaited fresh US economic data and digested another Chinese interest rate cut.

Attiyah estimated at least two million barrels of oversupply of crude in the market at a time when several countries have built the largest stockpile in over 30 years.

Oil production in Saudi Arabia in March amounted to 10.01 million barrels per day compared to 9.663 million barrels per day in February, according to OPEC’s latest monthly report.

Oil production in Saudi Arabia in 2015 will increase by 0.5 million barrels compared to 2014 and reach 10.2 million barrels per day, according to analysts at JP Morgan.

Playing for high stakes: 'Only Allah can set the price of oil' - Saudi's oil minister.

Playing for high stakes: 'Only Allah can set the price of oil' - Saudi's oil minister. (Independent).

Saudi Arabia’s oil minister has turned to divinity over the issue of slumping prices in oil, claiming that “it’s up to Allah”.

Speaking to CNBC, oil minister Ali al-Naimi said that “no one can set the price of oil – it’s up to Allah”.

Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest producer of oil and, while oil prices have been staying low on the market, the country has decided to increase its production of the substance rather than cut it.

Sanctions currently placed on Iran could soon be lifted as part of international nuclear negotiations, which would mean the country’s crude oil would come back on to the market and cause prices to plunge further.

But al-Naimi told the broadcaster he was not worried about this possibility.

His comments come amid speculation of how the country will maintain its decision not to cut oil production. Hmmm.....'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'. The only way to force the oil price up would be for Iran to close the strait of Hormuz, Which would mean war between the U.S. and Iran.

Turkish PM urges UN sec-gen Ban to come up with Cyprus plan....Why not end illegal occupation?

Turkish PM urges UN sec-gen Ban to come up with Cyprus plan....Why not end illegal occupation? (CM).

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has urged the United Nations Secretary-General to come up with a plan to solve the Cyprus problem before his term ends in 2016.

Speaking after a meeting with Ban Ki-moon in New York on Thursday, Davutoglu said he had reminded the UNSG that the Turkish side had supported the Annan plan in 2004, which was rejected by the Greek Cypriot side.

“In 2004 we supported the Annan plan and I suggested to Mr Ban Ki-moon that we need now a Ban Ki-moon plan before the end of his term to end this long-standing crisis,” he said.

The UNSG’s term ends on December 31, 2016. Hmmm......'Neo Ottoman conquerors' ...a.k.a. 'Bullies'. Cyprus best chances are with Russia, since the US and EU won't do anything to prevent Cheap gas flowing through Turkey to Europe.  Read the full story here.

Cypriot Pres: "Cyprus and Russia will continue to cooperate without paying any heed to international reaction."

Cypriot Pres: "Cyprus and Russia will continue to cooperate without paying any heed to international reaction." (CM).

PRESIDENT Nicos Anastasiades on Friday said Cyprus and Russia would continue to cooperate without paying any heed to international reaction to the agreements struck with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

One of the agreements, formalising the use of Cypriot ports by Russian navy ships for anti-terrorism and humanitarian reasons, has caused particular consternation abroad, especially in Britain, which maintains two military bases on the island.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) had strong words for Cyprus on Friday, according to a report from the Cyprus News Agency. It cited FCO sources in London as saying that although the agreement was a matter for Cyprus, when set in the context of the West’s stance on Russia over Ukraine, the move was a cause for concern.

The FCO source said London believed the European Union position on Russia’s actions in Ukraine were clear. “We acknowledge the unity which Cyprus has demonstrated with the EU on this,” said the official.

“In light of the current problems it is not the time to extend a hand of friendship to Russia until it shows willingness to fulfill the Minsk agreement,” he added, referring to the agreement signed in the Belarus capital aimed at a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.

But Anastasiades, who has felt let down by the West’s failure to come out strongly enough against Turkey’s violation of the island’s exclusive economic zone, on Thursday said “many of the friends” showing intense concern for other countries, had remained silent on Turkey’s violations, adopting a policy of double standards.

He said although he recognised the concerns of some countries over his Russia visit, Putin had not asked “for the slightest thing that would put us in a difficult position with our partners, or our partners across the Atlantic”.

“We [Russia and Cyprus] will cooperate without paying attention to who is reacting or who may have concerns”. Anastasiades is due back in Cyprus today Saturday. Hmmmm.....He's right By Allowing Turkey to terrorize everyone they pushed Cyprus in Putin's arms, the EU their quest for Cheap Iranian Gas flowing through Turkey will surely create more problems in the future. Read the full story here.


Related: Russia is reportedly getting military bases in EU member........CYPRUS?

Russia does not need bases on Cyprus - Military expert, or Can't Afford them?

Russia does not need bases on Cyprus - Military expert, or Can't Afford them? (RBTH).

Russia does not need military bases on Cyprus, especially considering the current economic climate, former chief of the international agreements division of the Russian Defense Ministry\'s main international cooperation department Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Buzhinsky said.

"Sure, we do not need them [the bases], especially given the present-day economic conditions," Buzhinsky, PIR Center Board Chairman, told Interfax-AVN on Monday.

He was commenting on a statement by Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis who said Cyprus was prepared to consider the deployment of Russian air and naval bases on the island.

In the opinion of Buzhinsky, "Cyprus must need something, it wants money and is ready to do anything. It is especially amusing that they are offering [Russia] to open its base near Akrotiri, the location of a British military base."

Being a member of the European Union, Cyprus is part of the sphere of influence of the Europeans and the Americans, primarily, the Brits, he said.

"So, all this talk about Russian bases on Cyprus reminds me of Cyprus' "procurement" of S-300 missile systems. It even paid the bill, but the S-300 systems were finally deployed in Greece because no one would let Cyprus to deploy Russian-made air defense systems," Buzhinsky said.

Speaking of Greek media reports regarding the Russian government's request for leasing an air base on Cyprus, a military diplomat told Interfax-AVN in Moscow earlier that the Russian army did not have an operative need to deploy an airbase in the Mediterranean but it could temporarily use the Cypriot territory, for instance, for possible evacuation of Russian citizens from conflict-ridden Syria.

"The Russian army has no operative need to station an airbase on Cyprus, because the Russian Defense Ministry does not posses a regional group which will require support from such base," the source said.

"Most probably, it could be the question of temporary use, with the consent of the Cypriot side, of some airfield for possible evacuation of Russian citizens in the case of escalated tensions in Syria," he continued.

"The situation around that country [Syria] has changed, and Russia has contributed to that by its efforts," the source said.

At present, Russian airbases are deployed outside the national territory wherever Russia has army forces, i.e. in Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Tajikistan, he said.

Western media, which commented on the statement by Anastasiadis, said that a formal agreement on military cooperation between Russia and Cyprus might be signed on February 25, 2015.

"CHANGE" - Moscow & Cairo to drop USD, use national currencies in bilateral trade – Putin.

"CHANGE" - Moscow and Cairo to drop USD, use national currencies in bilateral trade – Putin. (RT).

Russia and Egypt might soon exclude the US dollar and use their national currencies in the settlement of accounts in bilateral trade, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview to Egyptian media ahead of his Monday visit to the country.

The issue of abandoning the dollar in trade is “being actively discussed,” Putin told Al-Ahram daily newspaper ahead of his two-day trip to Egypt. The Russian president was invited for a bilateral meeting by his Egyptian counterpart Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

“This measure will open up new prospects for trade and investment cooperation between our countries, reduce its dependence on the current trends in the world markets,” Putin said.

“I should note that we already use national currencies for trade with a number of the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] states, and China. This practice proves its worth; we are ready to adopt it in our relations with Egypt as well. This issue is being discussed in substance by relevant agencies of both countries.”

Egypt is a long-time and trusted partner of Russia and the relationship between the two countries has been rapidly developing, the Russian president said.

During Sisi’s last visit to Russia in August 2014, the two leaders agreed to look at a possibility of creating a free trade zone between Egypt and the countries of the Customs Union. Meeting in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, the presidents also agreed upon the creation of a Russian industrial zone in Egypt, which will be part of a new Suez Canal project. Hmmmmm.......And Cyprus will sell GAS To Egypt. Read the full story here.


RELATED: Russia is reportedly getting military bases in EU member........CYPRUS?