Russia Says Guarantees Meet Its Demands, Nuclear Talks In Vienna Could Reopen
Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Wednesday, March 16, 2022!
The United States is strongly opposed to Russia in Ukraine, not so much in Vienna. The stalled talks on a nuclear agreement with Iran may reopen soon, with Russia saying that the demands it made stopping the talks have now been met, and in writing. No one is quite sure what that means, but the U.S. did say it's still engaged with Russia, just won't let them evade sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine.
Japan jumps on the oil supply issue and Britain's prime minister goes to the Gulf today, hat in hand, to plead for more oil after U.S. President Joe Biden failed. Japan's prime minister, Fumio Kishida, called the leader of the United Arab Emirates, didn't say he asked for higher oil production, but did say he and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan agreed that global markets should be stabilized. The United Kingdom's Boris Johnson goes to the UAE and to Saudi Arabia, saying they are "key international partners."
The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council wants a conference of Yemen’s warring parties to stop the conflict. The rebel Houthis in Yemen say they don't understand how Saudi Arabia, the leading GCC member, can both mediate and be heavily involved in the war.
Saudi Arabia is thinking about pricing some oil sales in yuan instead of dollars or euros. Bahrain's king talked with Russia's president Vladimir Putin, and Israel was hit with the largest cyberattack ever one day after Iran accused it of an espionage plot against a nuclear plant.
And news from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, and More.
Russia claims it has written guarantees that will let it resume work on the Iran nuclear deal, and negotiations may get back on track soon. Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov signaled that Moscow now may back off its previous view, that sanctions over the Ukraine invasion were an impediment to salvaging a nuclear agreement. "We have received written guarantees -- they are included in the very text of the agreement," Lavrov said, but western officials were unsure what Lavrov meant, and no new date was set for resuming negotiations in Vienna.
Reuters, Russia says it has written guarantees on Iran nuclear deal.
The United States is still engaging with Russia on reviving the Iran nuclear deal. Russia walked out of negotiations in Vienna after presenting demands that it be able to trade with Iran in spite of U.S. and western sanctions against it for the Ukraine war. Now U.S. officials say they can keep working with Russia in Vienna and indicated Russia may understand that the Ukraine sanctions have nothing to do with a nuclear accord.
Reuters, U.S. still engaging with Russia on Iran deal despite Ukraine - U.S. official.
But the United States won't let Russia use an Iran nuclear deal to escape sanctions over Ukraine. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the U.S. won't sanction Russian participation in nuclear projects in Iran, but won't allow an "escape hatch" to evade the Ukraine-related sanctions.
Reuters, U.S. will not allow Russia to use Iran deal as 'escape hatch' for Ukraine sanctions - State Dept.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson goes to the Gulf states -- his "key international partners" -- to plead for more oil. Johnson is asking for an increase in crude oil production by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help wean Europe off Russia's oil and gas. He was scheduled to go to Abu Dhabi Wednesday and meet with UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and meet in Riyadh with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Downing Street acknowledged the trip is unlikely to produce quick results, that there are "no quick fixes when it comes to oil and it won't be fixed in one visit."
MSN News, Boris Johnson declares Saudi Arabia and UAE 'key' partners in bid to move away from Russian oil and gas.
Reuters, UK PM Johnson seeks additional oil flows in UAE, Saudi.
Japan asked the United Arab Emirates to make "proactive contributions" to stabilize world oil markets, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the two countries will work together.
Kishida did not say if he had asked for an oil production increase in his 15-minute telephone call with the UAE leader, Mohamed bin Zayed al -Nahyan. "I asked for the UAE's proactive contributions as an OPEC member," he said. "The presence of the UAE is big when it comes to stabilizing global crude oil markets."
Kyodo News, Japan asked UAE to help stabilize crude oil markets: PM KIshida.
Saudi and Chinese officials are talking about pricing oil sales in yuan instead of dollars or euros. The Wall Street Journal reported that the two nations have stepped up talks for some of the Saudi oil sales to be in yuan, a response to U.S. positions Saudi Arabia doesn't like, including the Iran nuclear negotiations and lack of U.S. backing for Saudi military operations in Yemen.
The idea of switching to yuan from dollars isn't new. The two sides have been discussing it for six years, but now their talks are picking up speed. Almost 80 percent of global oil sales are priced in dollars, and Saudi Arabia exclusively uses the dollar for oil trading.
The Hill, Saudi Arabia reportedly considering accepting yuan instead of dollar for oil sales.
Bahrain's king discussed diplomatic solutions in Ukraine with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa spoke by phone and discussed developments in Ukraine and how the international community can help "achieve permanent and comprehensive peace and guarantee the interests and national security of all parties."
Al Arabiya, Bahrain's King, Russia's Putin discuss conflict in Ukraine.
Reuters, Putin, Bahrain discuss importance of diplomatic solutions - king's adviser.
The Saudi-based Gulf Cooperation Council is planning talks soon between Yemen's warring parties to stop the conflict. The six-state GCC was described as considering a meeting, but a Yemen official said a conference would take place between March 29 and April 7. The official said the Yemen government doesn't have a problem with attendance by the opposition Houthi rebels, but that he doubts the Houthis would accept an invitation to go to Riyadh.
AFP, Gulf bloc seeks to host Yemen govt, rebels for rare talks.
Infobae, Gulf council to invite Yemeni rebels to consultations in Riyadh.
A Houthi official said Saudi Arabia can't be a mediator in the Yemen war -- "Riyadh is a party in the war, not a mediator." The official of the rebel Houthis in Yemen responded to reports that the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf states, is considering calling a meeting of the two warring sides in Yemen in an effort to end the conflict.
Reuters, Houthi official says Saudi Arabia cannot be a mediator in the Yemen war.
A car bomb attack in southern Yemen hit a convoy and killed at least five people, including three bodyguards of a Yemeni southern military commander. Brigadier General Abdul Latif al-Sayed survived the attack. Eleven others were reported injured, and a spokesman for the Southern Armed Forces said two assailants were killed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which took place on a road outside Zunjubar, the capital of Abyan governate.
Infobae, Car bomb attack kills at least five people in southern Yemen.
Reuters, Car bomb hits convoy of southern military commander in Yemen.
Israel was hit by the "largest ever cyberattack" launched against the country one day after Iran claimed to foil espionage against a nuclear plant. The attack affected Israel's ministries of defense and interior and other offices, but "all the sites are back for activity," Israel's National Cyber Directorate said. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz said a defense source described the attack as the largest ever. It was not clear who carried out the attack, but it took place after Iran accused Israel of attempted espionage on its major Fordow nuclear site. Previous attacks on Israel have been attributed to hackers from Iran.
Al Jazeera, Israel says government sites targeted by cyberattack.
Iraq scheduled a vote on March 26 for parliament to elect a president. A list of 40 candidates was released, and the incumbent, Barham Saleh, is running for reelection. Saleh is a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and his main opponent is Rebar Ahmed of the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party. The presidency is reserved for the Kurdish minority in Iraq, and although the position is largely ceremonial, the president selects a prime minister who is supported by the largest bloc in parliament, now led by the firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
AFP, Iraq MPs to vote for president on March 26.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says a development fund will inject $152 billion into the Saudi economy by 2030. He announced the launch of a strategy for the National Development Fund and said it will help triple the non-oil share of the economy.
Arab News, Saudi National Development Fund to inject $152 bn in local economy by 2030, crown prince says.
Qatar has started operations at a long-delayed natural gas plant. The plant will produce almost 1.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day from Qatar's North Field. The Barzan gas project at Ras Laffan Industrial City was scheduled for completion in 2015, but it was delayed by problems with the pipeline network.
Bloomberg, Qatar starts long-delayed natural gas plant ahead of World Cup.
The United States will provide Egypt with F-15 aircraft. The top U.S. military leader in the Middle East , Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, said he believes Egypt will get the jet fighters.
"I think we have good news in that we're going to provide them with F-15s, which was a long, hard slog," McKenzie said at a congressional hearing . He didn't provide details on when Egypt would receive the aircraft or how many planes would be involved. Earlier, in Cairo, he had emphasized "very robust” military assistance to Egypt, following a Biden administration decision to reduce military aid to the country by $130 million because of human rights concerns.
Reuters, Washington to provide Egypt with F-15 jets, U.S. general says.
The U.S. ambassador in Libya affirmed that the two opposed prime ministers in Libya will negotiate to reach a political understanding. Ambassador Richard Norland said in a statement that the interim prime minister, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and the prime minister chosen by parliament, Fathi Bashagha, will be aided by the United Nations in reaching an understanding that would prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections.
Libya Observer, Norland: Dbeibah, Bashagha agree to UN-facilitated talks.
Libya's political stalemate is a Libyan issue that must be solved internally, United Nations adviser Stephanie Williams said. She said the United Nations won't recognize one government over the other because "this is a sovereign matter decided by member states, and, in some cases, the United Nations Security Council." Until elections are held, neither the Tripoli nor Tobruk authorities have a mandate, she said.
Libya Update, Political stalemate in Libya must be resolved internally, says UN advisor.
A U.S. federal court ordered that a lawsuit accusing Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar of war crimes should proceed. The court in Virginia ordered the case to continue, following a pause last year when the case was adjudged as "too closely intertwined" with planned December elections in Libya, which didn't happen. The lawsuit is brought by families accusing Haftar of war crimes, torture, and extrajudicial killings. An attorney for the families said the next step will be to seek a ruling requiring a deposition of Haftar, who then would be required to answer questions.
Middle East Eye, US judge reinstates war crimes lawsuit against Libya's Khalifa Haftar.
MORE: Korea, UAE to discuss defense cooperation this week, The National... Kuwait's new interior, defense ministers take oath before National Assembly, Gulf Times... Tunisia's economy grew 3.1% in 2021, Reuters... Ex-PM Siniora wont run in Lebanese elections, Arab News... World's largest cryptocurrency exchange gets its first license from Gulf Cooperation Council, Times of India... Egypt to enforce price controls on unsubsidized bread to combat price increases, Ahram.
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Russia is seen by Arab states as useful to flirt with when relations are strained with the United States, in addition to being a power that is relevant in the region, such as in Sudan where it wants to build a naval base on the Red Sea. Those are some of the reasons Arab states are hesitant to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in addition to widespread Arab resentment of U.S. policy over decades.
Salon, Why doesn't the Arab world break with Putin? Consider Sudan's example.
U.S. President Joe Biden has options in seeking a bigger oil market, and one bet is a nuclear agreement with Iran that could bring increased production by as much as 1.7 million barrels a day. Iran could see 80% recovery of its full production capacity within six months and 100% in a year.
OilPrice, Mission impossible: Can Biden bring oil prices down?