1997 05 14 Wednesday No. : 10597
AGCC MUST UNIFY INDUSTRIAL PLANS: KHALIFA
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan yesterday urged the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council, AGCC, states to chalk out a unified industrial strategy on an integrated basis, create more investment opportunities and encourage the private sector to participate in industrial activities.
He spoke during a meeting with Minister of State for Financial and Industrial Affairs Dr Mohammed Khalfan Kharbash, AGCC Secretary General Jamil al Hujailan and AGCC Ministers of Industry who are participating in the sixth Industrialists Conference in Abu Dhabi. He said that the joint efforts and achievements of AGCC states in establising a modern infrastructure and the expansion of projects in oil and gas industries together form a solid foundation for building an integrated industry to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
"Considering the trend to boost AGCC co-operation as well as the creation of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, and the domination of open market policies, the AGCC states should have a clear future vision of dealing with these developments and increase their competitiveness in order to protect their interests and draw up plans to boost their progress. It is imperative that we co-shoulder the responsibility towards preserving and investing our resources in a way which will guarantee the interests of our people," he added.
Sheikh Khalifa stressed the need for encouraging future generations so they will get more involved in development and productive activities to ensure a qualified national cadre for the industrial sector. He said that the UAE, under the leadership of President HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, had offered all possible facilities to the industrial sector and was giving more incentives to the private sector to allow it to lead the development march along with the Government sector.
Sheikh Khalifa wished the Ministers success in their conference - which is being attended by some 600 officials and industrialists from the AGCC members states - and efforts to expand this vital sector. The meeting was attended by Minister of Finance and Industry Under Secretary Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Chief of he Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa al Nahyan and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rahma al Masoud. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
UAE REITERATES SUPPORT TO OPEC
Libyan Energy Minister and Chairman of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC,'s current session Abdulla Salem al Badri and OPEC Secretary General Rilwanu Lukman were yesterday received by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan who affirmed that "the UAE's policy is based on the protection of the interests of oil producers within a balanced formula based on fair prices and market stability without any violations in production quotas. Sheikh Khalifa renewed calls for stopping quota violations.
Sheikh Khalifa said that the UAE, under the leadership of President HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, realises its role as one of the key oil and gas producers and exporters in protecting its national interests and the interests of other producers and consumers within OPEC. "The UAE is keen to ensure the continuation and success of OPEC and the need to preserve its unity to bolster its role in realising stability in the oil market and the world economy," he said.
The Libyan Minister briefed Sheikh Khalifa on the Isphahan talks and expressed satisfaction over the UAE's stands towards OPEC and its commitment to its production share. The meeting was attended by Chief of the Crown Prince's Court Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa al Nahyan, Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources Obaid bin Saif al Nassiri and Secretary General of the Supreme Petroleum Council and Director General of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC Yousef bin Omeir bin Yousef.
The Oil Minister yesterday reiterated the support of the UAE for OPEC in its efforts to devise a plan which would boost oil prices and achieve stability in world oil markets. "Talks are under way amount OPEC member states to forge a clear-cut plan which would enable OPEC, during its forthcoming meeting, to secure adherence to production quotas and preserve stability in oil markets so as to boost prices," al Nassiri said. He also stressed the UAE's commitment to its OPEC quota of 2.16 million barrels per day, bpd, and urged other member states to abide by their quotas. Nassiri made the remarks following a meeting with al Badri.
The meeting, which was attended by OPEC's Secretary General Rilwanu Lukman discussed the current developments in world oil markets and OPEC's role in achieving stability. Nassiri added that al Badri and Lukman briefed him on the outcome of the meeting of OPEC's market monitoring committee which was held last week on the sidelines of a gas and oil seminar in the Iranian city of Isfahan,which focussed on oil prices.
Yesterday's meeting was attended by the Ministry's Acting Under Secretary Nasser al Sharhan and UAE and Libyan Governors to OPEC Mohammed al Hamili and Ali al Faitouri respectively. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
In a related report: the OPEC President, currently on a tour of member states to discuss ways to end quota violations that have created a glut of nearly 2.0 million barrels per day and depressed crude prices, held talks with the UAE's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. "There are consultations among members states to chalk out a formula that will allow OPEC at its next meeting to achieve compliance with production quotas and market stability in order to support prices," he said.
Independent estimates showed that the 11-nation OPEC was producing nearly 2.0 million bpd above its official output ceiling of 25.033 million bpd. Venezuela and Nigeria are believed to be among the main quota busters. Such over-production has combined with the resumption of Iraqi crude exports and a slackening seasonal demand to push oil prices down to below $ 18.0 (Dh 66.06) compared with nearly $ 24.0 at the start of the year. OPEC's compliance committee met in the Iranian town of Isphahan last week and discussed the market situation ahead of the cartel's June meeting in Vienna.
Lukman ruled out a collapse in prices, saying their decline was normal during this time of the year, when demand is at its lowest level. "Prices are expected to pick up in the last quarter due to a seasonal increase in consumption but they will not necessarily be as strong as they were last year," he said. "However, it is necessary that all OPEC member states respect their quotas to support prices. That is why we are touring OPEC countries. We want to ensure commitment to quotas ahead of the June 25 conference in Vienna." (Agence France-Presse, AFP)
Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum yesterday ordered the shipment of aid to Iran to help earthquake victims. Under the instructions of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence, Colonel Atiq Juma Ali, Director of the Co-ordination and Foreign Relations at the Ruler's Court, is leading a delegation from the Ministry, Central Military Command and a number of local departments in Dubai to Mashhad in Iran to supervise the hand-over of aid to the Iranian officials. The delegation left this morning with the first plane carrying a shipment of relief supplies.
Meanwhile, the Zayed Charity Works and Humanitarian Organisation yesterday donated Dh 1.5 million for Iran's earthquake victims. A board meeting, held under its chairman and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Industry Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed al Nahyan, said the donation was in line with the directives of President HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan and his keenness to extend a helping hand and alleviate the suffering of victims of natural disasters and the needy.
A delegation from the organisation will visit the affected areas and provide much needed supplies in co-operation with Iranian authorities. In the interim, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum sent a cable of condolences to Iran's Interior Minister Mohammed Ali Bisharati on the earthquake. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
EGYPTIAN PEOPLE LOVE ZAYED, SAYS MUBARAK
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday said that the Egyptian people love President HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan for his sincerity. This came in an interview broadcast here yesterday by Abu Dhabi Television. Mubarak said that he discussed with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velyati, during his recent visit to Egypt, the issue of the UAE islands occupied by Iran.
He said Velayati expressed the keenness and sincerity of his country to negotiate the problem with the UAE. Mubarak denied an rapprochement between Egypt and Iran following Velyati's visit. The interview covered many other matters relating to Egypt and its views on, and relations with, the Arab world. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
SULTAN STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Supreme Council member and Rule of Sharjah Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al Qassimi, yesterday received the local, Arab and foreign archaeologists participating in the four-day seminar at Sharjah Archaeological Museum on the archaeology of the Arabian Gulf. In remarks to the archaeologists, Dr Sheikh Sultan, himself a noted local historian, stressed the importance of investigations into the country's archaeological heritage and of collaboration between local experts and their foreign colleagues.
The seminar, organised by the Directorate of Antiquities of Sharjah's Department of Culture and Information, ended here yesterday morning with a session devoted to reports from other Arab Gulf Co-operation Council, AGCC, states. The results of excavations at the coastal site of Ras al Hadd, in central Oman, were outlined by Dr Julian Reade, from The British Museum in London, who said that "because it is ideally located at a site where the Gulf of Oman drains into the Arabian Sea and because of its beautiful lagoon harbour, Ras al Hadd was a natural docking place for ships."
The area had trade links with the Indus Valley civilisation, as indicated by the discovery of Harappan inscriptions and there is also evidence to support the theory that a copper industry flourished in Ras al Hadd and that the metal was exported to the Sub-continent.
Darwish al Far covered recent discoveries related to the prehistory of Qatar and Khalid al Sindi offered comparisons of two Dilmun seals, from the Third and Second Millennium BC, one fount at a site in Mizyad near Jebel Hafit in the UAE and the other in Bahrain. Dilmun is the ancient name of Bahrain and Failaka. "The presence of a Dilmun seal in Mizyad testifies to the age-old relations between the two regions," stated Dr Sindi.
Adopting a more general approach, Dr Hamad bin Sarai of the Emirates University, spoke on relations between the Chaldeans and the Arabian Gulf. "There is a paucity of data on the Gulf region in the Chaldean royal texts, although connections between Chaldean (neo-Babylonian) tribes and the Gulf go back to earlier periods, with Babylonian and Assyrian records referring to the presence of these tribes in southern Mesopotamia and around the head of the Gulf," said Dr Sarai.
Papers presented earlier in the week had dealt primarily with results of excavations and field survey work in the Emirates of Sharjah, Ras al Khaliman, Abu Dhabi and Umm al Qaiwain. The papers will now be edited and published by the directorate of Antiquities. (The Emirates News and the Khaleej Times. Also covered in other papers.)