European Commission proposes increase in powers to control energy resources abroad; Libya next on the agenda
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Sep 15, 2011
The European Commission has for the first time submitted proposals for a concerted public foreign energy policy – termed ‘External Energy Policy’ within Euro circles. The EU has been acting collectively to control oil & gas resources and transit routes for many years – financing pipelines with public funds, lobbying for access to African, Middle...
Oil corporations preying on Libyan oil – video with Greg Muttitt
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Aug 24, 2011
“When Western powers look at the region, they talk about humanity and democracy, but they’re thinking about oil,” says Greg Muttitt, author of Fuel on the Fire, which examines oil and politics in occupied Iraq. “The great fear is that just as they did in Iraq they’ll create a democracy that serves British interests or...
Oil, British foreign energy policy and Middle East repression
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Feb 24, 2011
British oil interests are tightly interlinked with our governments’ recent political and military support for Gaddafi’s regime. Libya’s oil reserves – the largest in Africa – long had Western companies drooling. Shell beat its competitors to the chase, signing a $1 billion gas contract in 2004 during Tony Blair’s first visit to Libya. After three...
Terrible timing: BP announce drilling plans during Libyan “Day of Rage”
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Feb 21, 2011
In the morning of Thursday 17 February, Libyan protestors responding to a callout for a Day of Rage began to fill the streets in Benghazi and other major cities. Over a hundred demonstrators had already been shot and wounded in previous days, but now the people broke through the barrier of fear. A crackdown ensued, with police...
Secret documents uncover UK’s interest in Libyan oil
Blog post -
Sep 1, 2009
PLATFORM generated two articles in Sunday’s Observer that highlight the collaboration between the Foreign Office and Shell over Libya. The documents referred to show the deep and long-term foreign policy backing provided by the British government to Shell in its efforts to break into Libya. Corporate executives have easy access to the highest level of...
