Page 15 - MEOG Week 10 2022

MEOG NEWS IN BRIEF MEOG

POLICY over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi But the Saudis and Emiratis have declined
in 2018. to pump more oil, saying they are sticking to
Gulf leaders decline Biden’s the restrained U.S. response to recent missile a production plan approved between their
The Emiratis share Saudi concerns about
group, the Organization of the Petroleum
calls during Ukraine crisis strikes by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Exporting Countries, and a group of other
producers led by Russia. The energy alliance
Yemen against the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia,
The White House unsuccessfully tried to officials said. Both governments are also with Russia, one of the world’s top oil
arrange calls between President Biden and concerned about the revival of the Iran producers, has enhanced OPEC’s power while
the de facto leaders of Saudi Arabia and the nuclear deal, which doesn’t address other also bringing the Saudis and Emiratis closer to
United Arab Emirates as the U.S. was working security concerns of theirs and has entered the Moscow.
to build international support for Ukraine and final stages of negotiations in recent weeks. Both Prince Mohammed and Sheikh
contain a surge in oil prices, said Middle East The White House has worked to repair Mohammed took phone calls from Russian
and U.S. officials. relations with two key Middle Eastern President Vladimir Putin last week, after
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin countries it needs on its side as oil prices declining to speak with Mr. Biden. They both
Salman and the U.A.E.’s Sheikh Mohammed push over $130 a barrel for the first time in later spoke with Ukraine’s president, and a
bin Zayed al Nahyan both declined U.S. almost 14 years. Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. Saudi official said the U.S. had requested that
requests to speak to Mr. Biden in recent are the only two major oil producers that Prince Mohammed mediate in the conflict,
weeks, the officials said, as Saudi and Emirati can pump millions of more barrels of more which he said the kingdom is embarking on.
officials have become more vocal in recent oil—a capacity that, if used, could help calm WSJ
weeks in their criticism of American policy in the crude market at a time when American
the Gulf. gasoline prices are at high levels.
“There was some expectation of a phone Brett McGurk, the National Security OIL
call, but it didn’t happen,” said a U.S. official Council’s Middle East coordinator, and Amos
of the planned discussion between the Saudi Hochstein, the State Department’s energy UN signs agreement to
Prince Mohammed and Mr. Biden. “It was envoy, both travelled to Riyadh late last month
part of turning on the spigot [of Saudi oil].” to try to mend fences with Saudi officials. Mr. offload oil from Yemen’s
Biden did speak with Prince Mohammed’s McGurk also met with Sheikh Mohammed
86-year-old father, King Salman, on Feb. 9, in Abu Dhabi in a bid to address Emirati FSO Safer
when the two men reiterated their countries’ frustrations over the U.S. response to the
longstanding partnership. The U.A.E.’s Houthi attacks. Officials from the United Nations and Yemen’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the call The call with Sheikh Mohammed in early Houthi represents independently confirmed
between Biden and Sheikh Mohammed would February was expected to focus on ways the that progress continues to be made to address
be rescheduled. two countries could counter Houthi attacks the FSO Safer anchored off Yemen holding
The Saudis have signalled that their from Yemen. 1.1 million barrels of crude oil. Last month,
relationship with Washington has deteriorated One U.S. official said the Biden during a briefing to the UN Security Council,
under the Biden administration, and they administration has worked diligently to UN envoys to Yemen reported that they
want more support for their intervention in strengthen Saudi and Emirati missile defences, believed they had a tentative path forward to
Yemen’s civil war, help with their own civilian and that America would be doing more in the address the environmental risk from the aging
nuclear program as Iran’s moves ahead, and coming months to help the two Gulf nations vessel that had been accepted by the rebels
legal immunity for Prince Mohammed in the protect themselves. It may not be all the two that control the region of the country.
U.S., Saudi officials said. The crown prince countries want, the official said, but the U.S. is ”A memorandum of understanding has
faces multiple lawsuits in the U.S., including trying to address their security concerns. been signed with the United Nations for the

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