U.S. officials to meet with Cubans over oil

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thu, Feb. 02, 2006
U.S. officials to meet with Cubans over oil

MEXICO CITY — In the two years since oil reservoirs were discovered off Cuba’s coast, Canadian, Chinese, Indian and Norwegian companies have lined up to explore the potentially lucrative Caribbean waters.

U.S. corporations, however, have watched the activity less than 60 miles south of Florida’s coastline with their hands tied. U.S. oil exploration in Cuban waters is prohibited under a 45-year-old U.S. embargo designed to undermine Fidel Castro’s communist government.

This week, however, American energy executives will meet their Cuban counterparts in the first private-sector oil summit between the two countries.
(snip/...)

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/13770211.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feb. 1, 2006, 9:12PM
U.S. companies wait as others explore in Cuban waters

By JULIE WATSON
Associated Press

~snip~
"Right on our own border, there is going to be substantial activity in what is probably the last unexplored deposits in the world," said Kirby Jones, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association.

This week, American energy executives meet their Cuban counterparts in the first private-sector oil summit between the two countries. Cubans hope to inform the businessmen of their country's oil potential while undermining the embargo, which has often frustrated American corporations.

The three-day meeting, which starts today, is sponsored by the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association, along with San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corp., the United States' biggest oil refiner, as well as the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and the Texas Port of Corpus Christi, among others.

Representatives from major U.S. oil companies are also expected to attend, Jones said.

Cuba's delegation is to be led by Fidel Rivero Prieto, president of the state oil company, CubaPetroleo. Officials from the Cuban Ministry of Basic Industries and Cuba's ministries of foreign trade, foreign investment and foreign relations will also be present, Jones said.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/3629539.html

[gasperc]

1. sounds like an invasion in the making

if they don't play ball, a carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs?

[Just Me]

2. Will they be arrested? Any American who buys ANYTHING in Cuba,...

,...(including a drink or a sandwich) is arrested. Will these U.S. companies' execs be arrested for violating the embargo? If not, why not?

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Not until they buy something

[madmom]

3. I thought this was illegal..??

[mom cat]

9. Since when did that stop Buchco from doing anything?

[IndianaGreen]

11. Not when it involves OIL!

Oil is everything, and US corporations will whore themselves to get a piece of the action in Cuba. Bush will never go against the oil industry.

What a fortunate turn of events for Cuba to find that oil! Obviously Jesus wanted that to happen!

[Judi Lynn]

4. Damned odd, isn't it? Bush has been trying every possible way to

strangle Cuba economically, and suddenly once the subject of oil is introduced, badda-bing, we've got American oil people suddenly materializing in Cuba.

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. They did not set foot in Cuba

The meeting was in Mexico.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Sorry, only scanned the article.Was in too big a rush. Thanks for

pointing it out. It seems less sinister this way, sorta.

[Vogon_Glory]

5. Wasn't a Linchpin of the Embargo Supposed to be Oil?

Wasn't a linchpin of the US embargo against Cuba supposed to be to keep Cuba from obtaining petroleum? Well, THAT'S another little notion that's come to naught.

I have no doubt that the oil will be tapped by somebody. But I shouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it's drilled by Petrobras (Brazil), the national Venezuelan oil company, the Russians, or even the Canadians, and there won't be much that Team Shrub can do about it. Petroleum drilling technology and skills have spread well beyond the point where US ideologues can hope to control it.

One of the historical ironies of the situation is that one of the sparks for the deterioration of diplomatic ties between the US and the then-newly installed Castro regime back in the last year or two of the 1950's or the earliest 1960's was that a US refinery refused to refine petroleum the new Castro government had bought from the Soviet Union.

Another irony is that when our tour group was heading back to our Havana hotel, the sun some oil storage tanks in such a way that you could still make out the name of their former US owners.

[HuffleClaw]

10. U.S.-Cuba Trade Association ???

erm, people are fined thousands of dollars for sending charity to cuba, but these guys can talk about OIL ?

[NashVegas]

12. Funny How That Works

US Agriculture interests are allowed limited trade with Cuba, but only on a cash and carry basis with Cuba buying our farm goods. I wonder if US interests wishing to buy Cuban oil will get a similar deal?