Firms Seek Access to Myanmar Oil Fields

[Tiberius]

Source: Associated Press

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Just last Sunday — when marches led by Buddhist monks drew thousands in Myanmar's biggest cities — Indian Oil Minister Murli Deora was in the country's capital for the signing of oil and gas exploration contracts between state-controlled ONGC Videsh Ltd. and Myanmar's military rulers.

The signing ceremony was an example of how important Myanmar's oil and gas resources have become in an energy-hungry world. Even as Myanmar's military junta intensifies its crackdown on pro-democracy protests, oil companies are jostling for access to the country's largely untapped natural gas and oil fields that activists say are funding a repressive regime.

China — Myanmar's staunchest diplomatic protector and largest trading partner — is particularly keen on investing in the country because of its strategic location for pipelines to feed the Chinese economy's growing thirst for oil and gas.

Companies from South Korea, Thailand and elsewhere also are looking to exploit the energy resources of the desperately poor Southeast Asian country.

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iwgIAFKH84bda2glBRBESszwr8nQD8RV1BE03

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Looks like China, India, France, just about everybody's got a deal with this despicable regime. And I'm sure if they were next door to us, Bush would be best buddies with them as well.

[OregonBlue]

1. Looks like it's time for a nationwide strike in Burma. They're gonna have a hard time continuing to

rape the country if NO ONE is willing to work.

[merwin]

3. Being a military dictatorship, these people will probably face unspeakable

horrors if they protest.

[formercia]

2. Time to invade and spread some more democracy.

:sarcasm:

[IsItJustMe]

5. LOL. You said it, I didn't.

[rpannier]

4. Chevron is our proxy

[Amonester]

6. Gee... I hate oil - eom

[Canuckistanian]

7. The Shock Doctrine in action

The Burmese military are probably in no condition to dictate advantageous terms for the sale of their resources.

This are PERFECT conditions for the corporate vultures to swoop in and gobble up some bargains.

I sincerely hope the coming revolutionary legitimate government under Aung San Su Kyii NATIONALIZES the oil and gas fields.