Cuba invites U.S. companies to explore for oil

[Osolomia]

By Anthony Boadle
Reuters

HAVANA, Dec. 4 — Cuba said on Thursday American oil companies were welcome to join off-shore exploration of its Gulf of Mexico waters.

... ''The government of Cuba wishes to say it has no objection whatsoever to the involvement of American oil companies in exploration and drilling in our exclusive economic zone on mutually beneficial terms,'' said a statement published by the ruling Communist Party newspaper, Granma.

... A major U.S. oil services company two weeks ago advocated lifting trade sanctions against Libya, Iran and Cuba because they hamper American companies from exploring there.

The president of Halliburton Co.'s energy services unit, John Gibson, said in an address to employees the future of oil exploration lay in developing countries, and sanctions gave competitors an advantage over U.S companies in some markets.

... Havana opened up 43,250 square miles (112,000 square kilometers) of its Gulf waters in 1999 to foreign exploration and development, dividing the area into 51 blocks. Canada's Sherritt International (S.TO), already involved in Cuban oil and gas production, signed rights for four blocks last year.

More...
http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters12-04-091422.asp?reg=AMERICAS

[La_Serpiente]

1. muhahahahahaha

Will the Bush administration pander to the Miami community or to the follow the money trail? This is going to be a good one!!!

Nah, he will probably just take them over.

[Osolomia]

5. And what will a Democratic president do?

Democratic Presidential Candidates on Cuba

Of the ten current democratic hopefuls, Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is the only one who supports an end to the embargo.

Much more...
http://www.lawg.org/pages/new%20pages/Misc/prez-candidates1.htm

[Mika]

9. Unless its Kucinich, a Dem prez will only hem and haw

[Osolomia]

13. Naw, the Dem candidates don't support the Bush Doctrine

do they?

[Mika]

15. New boss, same as the old boss (on Cuba, that is)

Jorge Mas with 41 &42

[knowledgeispower]

24. Second verse, same as the first

Which is to say that I agree.

[NashVegas]

23. Whomever Normalizes WILL Lose Florida

And here's why - according to me:

Castro is getting old, and he knows that when he goes, if there is not some kind of treaty in place, nothing written on paper where the US recognizes Cuban sovereignty and autonomy, all hell is going to break loose in Cuba.

Does anyone here, knowing the Cubans of today have lived without the Batista regime and lived without being peasants in obeisance to wealthy landowners for 40 years, really expect to see Cuba's inhabitants happily bowing to the exiles' demands? Fuck, no.

I'd lay a good wager the deal breaker is the exiles' give up any and all claims to the assets they left behind or lost to nationalization. And if we do conceed that, all hell will break loose in Florida.

It's all been a waiting game to see who'll give out first. By tempting US businesses - who've been itching to get into the Cuban market or lose all the best prospects to Europe and others - to get in the fray, he's forcing our hand to normalize sooner rather than wait for Fidel to go to the big tobacco field in the sky.

[Osolomia]

2. Which may explain why Bolton threatens Cuba again

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=252066

[Osolomia]

3. And why Clark called the head of CANF

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=250379#250431

[Gman]

4. Great move Castro!!!

Cuba will be the 51st state by the end of next year.

[Osolomia]

7. Dream on!

Castro's no moron.

[asjr]

8. No he isn't

And since oil is involved Shrub will lift the embargo. He will have a "change of heart."

[Osolomia]

11. Which is likely why Castro reiterated the statement now

there's really nothing new about it.

But lifting the embargo and allowing US companies to explore for oil won't make Cuba a US state.

[Say_What]

14. Bush? Change of heart--maybe. This photo says he already has...

http://home.comcast.net/~freshlaundry/bush.html?bs=AWJWB%21GJEFM%21

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

6. Reading yesterday where Bolton was insinuating Cuba was developing

WMD with desires against us.

Bwahahahahaha!

[Mika]

10. Only American morans would believe such an asinine thing

"I will be a uniter" - _{G W Bush}

[loudnclear]

12. Uh, oh, Cuba is next to be invaded

we can't stand this.

[Mika]

16. No way

There's no way that the filthy politicians taking payola up in Washington want an end to the "confrontation" with Cuba. Too much money in the status quo.

[Osolomia]

17. So US taxpayers pay for farmers losses due to the embargo

and "too much money in the status quo".

Rice, crawfishermen farmers move closer to getting federal relief

By CAIN BURDEAU
The Associated Press
12/4/2003, 4:26 p.m. CT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — American rice farmers and Louisiana crawfishermen moved a step closer on Thursday to getting aid to survive cheap imports after federal agricultural officials accepted their petitions for help.

The Foreign Agricultural Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced that it accepted applications by the U.S. Rice Producers Association and Louisiana crawfishermen and farmers for money under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers program.

... Willis said farmers have been hurt by an influx of Asian imports and trade embargoes on Cuba, Iran and Iraq. He said rice farming, which is concentrated in the South and California, is valued at about $2 billion in wholesale prices.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-5/107057694016950.xml

[Mika]

20. That's why its called payola

The taxpayers are footing the bill, and the pols are pocketing the money. Status quo.

[Osolomia]

21. There's a lot more money to be had doing legitimate business

As the US farmers in 38 states who have signed deals with Cuba will tell you for starters.

[Mika]

22. For the businesses, not the pols

"There's a lot more money to be had doing legitimate business"

For the businesses, not the pols. (Jeez, if the pols did what was good for America - that would be a major paradigm shift.)


The agri groups have signed contracts for many millions.

The sanctions amendment was killed in the dark of night.

The pols, both pro and con, collect their campaign payola for yet another year.


End the Cuban sanctions, end the pro and con Cuba campaign payola. Its the American f-ing way.

[Say_What]

18. Cuba produces cancer vaccine

<clips>

A biotech company from California is trying to obtain authorization from the U.S. government to license a Cuban drug against cancer, but has been blocked by the economic embargo against Cuba.

CancerVax Corp (CNVX.O), based in Carlsbad, California, wants to conduct a joint research project on cancer vaccines presently underway in Havana, said Luis Herrera, director of Cuba’s Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

“We can’t be certain that we will get the license,” said CancerVax of the project.

George W. Bush’s administration has toughened the trade embargo on Cuba and has accused President Fidel Castro’s government of using its advanced biotech industry to develop biological weapons.

The United States has granted only one license for a Cuban product since it imposed its trade embargo on Cuba more than 40 years ago. In 1999, British pharmaceutical company Smith-Kline and Beecham, now GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L), convinced Washington of exempting a vaccine developed by Cuba that was the first in the world against meningitis “B”, a killer of children.

http://www.rprogreso.com/2003/12Dec/01week/German.htm


Jimmy Carter visits Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering Center

[bpilgrim]

19. try'n to get in front of a hostile takeover?

:shrug:

peace

[Judi Lynn]

25. Referring to the ongoing discussion of recent actions against "dissidents"

Please read the following comments from Cuban church leaders:

(snip)....In the letter, the religious leaders expressed opposition to the death
penalty and disagreement with some of their government's actions. But they
also expressed grave concern for the "security" and "integrity" of their
nation in light of the U.S. threat. They also voiced fear that the war with
Iraq could be a prelude to U.S. aggression against Cuba.

"We believe that we find ourselves in a moment of serious threat for the
security and integrity of our nation," they wrote. "We also
believe that what is intended is to find pretexts to launch another war of
aggression."

They promised to honor their evangelical directive to provide spiritual
counseling to imprisoned dissidents and condemned the U.S. government for
financing, supporting and protecting opposition groups inside Cuba > activity
they claim has increased under the direction of James Cason, the top U.S.
diplomat in Cuba. The U.S. government disputes the charge.

"Throughout 40-plus years this kind of thing has happened every once is a
while with people who have been used by the CIA , for example," Dopico said.
"So basically, people in my congregation saw it as just another example of
people  working with the U.S. and profiting from it." (snip/...)

http://www.wfn.org/2003/12/msg00044.html