BAGHDAD WILL ALLOW KURDS TO PUMP OIL TO TURKEY
Iraq’s Kurds are set to start pumping oil to Turkey via a pipeline controlled by the central government in Baghdad next month. The 40-kilometer pipeline will be able to carry 300,000 barrels of oil a day and runs from Kirkuk, Iraq to Ceyhan, Turkey. The announcement marks the successful end to years-long negotiations between the Kurdish Regional Government and Baghdad, with the former seeking control over oil and gas revenues in the north, and the latter claiming the power of approval over all energy transactions. The tensions between the two have eased as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has relinquished plans to block the pipeline in favor of promoting stability in Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan wants to expand their oil ventures beyond the existing pipelines and its output may increase to 1 million barrels a day by the end of 2015. (Bloomberg November 20, 2013)
SYRIA’S CHEMICAL WEAPONS MAY BE DESTROYED AT SEA
Days after Albania refused to host weapons destruction plants, officials with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are looking for other options to dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal. OPCW inspectors have checked Syria's declared 1,300 metric tons of sarin, mustard gas and other agents and decided last week that most of the deadliest material should be shipped abroad by the end of the year and destroyed by mid-2014.
While there has been no official decision, multiple sources have confirmed that there have been discussions about decommissioning the weapons at sea. Given Japan and the United States’ past experience with disarming weapons at sea, experts agree that it is feasible, although the effort of disposing of over 1,000 metric tons of material is unprecedented and these weapons will leave toxic liquid waste. (Reuters November 19, 2013)
EGYPT HOSTS TOP RUSSIAN OFFICIALS
Egypt hosted Russia’s foreign and defense ministers in the highest-level talks between the two countries in years to discuss strengthening military ties and diplomatic initiatives in Syria. As America’s relationship with Cairo has faltered in recent years, Russia has seized the opportunity to increase its presence in the region. According to an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, the talks were part of Egypt’s desire to “strengthen the independence of [its] foreign policy,” and stated that Egypt recognizes that Russia is an important global power. The growing military cooperation between the two countries was evident in the presence of two Russian warships at Egyptian ports in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea last week. Media reports in Egypt and Russia suggest the two countries were negotiating a multibillion-dollar weapons deal, but Egypt’s crippled economy may present an obstacle. Additionally, if Russia, which supports the Assad regime in Syria, tries to move Egypt to support Assad, Egypt could face opposition from one of its chief backers, Saudi Arabia. (The Washington Post November 15, 2013)
MILITIAS ORDERED OUT OF TRIPOLI AFTER DEADLY CLASH
After at least 43 people were killed on Friday and Saturday when Misrata gunmen opened fire on protesters in Tripoli, the local council of elders in Misrata (a north Libyan town) declared that all militia groups had to pull out of Tripoli within 72 hours. The Misrata Shield Brigade, which is nominally attached to the ministry of defense (although sometimes seems to act independently), said it was not responsible for carrying out violence against protesters but would leave Tripoli. In addition, Libya's deputy intelligence chief was abducted on Sunday, but has since been freed following the intervention of the Shura Council of Zintan, which has the most powerful brigades in Tripoli. No militia has claimed the kidnapping, but militias have taken senior officials to gain political leverage before. (BBC News November 18, 2012)
BOMBS HIT IRAN’S EMBASSY IN BEIRUT
A double suicide bombing outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut killed at least 23 people and injured 146 in an attack that was claimed by the Lebanon-based, al Qaeda-linked, Sunni jihadist group Abdullah Azzam Brigades. The Iranian cultural attaché, Sheikh Ibrahim Ansari, died in the blasts that were condemned by the UN Security Council and the Syrian government, among others. This marks the first attack of its kind on an Iranian target in Lebanon. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades threatened further attacks unless Iran withdraws forces from Syria. The Syrian conflict and Hezbollah’s involvement in it has sparked a series of sectarian clashes and bomb attacks on Sunni and Shi'ite Muslim targets in Lebanon. South Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, has been victim to numerous attacks during recent months. The bombs came as Assad's forces reinforced military gains in Syria ahead of peace talks in mid-December. (BBC News November 19, 2013, Reuters, November 19, 2013)