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would revenge the killing of the scientist. Fixing the rift between Saudi Arabia and push forward more potential normalisation
“Assassination of nuclear scientists is the most Qatar would bring a sense of stability back to agreements before January.
obvious violation of the global hegemony to the Gulf and notch a last-minute achievement Kushner hopes to convince the Saudi and
prevent our access to modern sciences,” he for Kushner and the Trump administration Qatari leaders to reconcile and reach a deal on
said. before Jan. 20. several outstanding issues, US officials tell me.
The IAEA has said that Iran’s AMAD Plan, In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kushner also wants to use the talks in
the alleged covert programme established Bahrain and other Sunni states severed ties Saudi Arabia to cement the agreement for
in 1989 to research potential for building a with Qatar and closed their airspace and Saudi Arabia to allow eastbound flights from
nuclear bomb, was shut down in 2003. Israel sea routes to Qatari planes and vessels. They Israel to pass through Saudi airspace.
has claimed that it has continued. claimed their decision was based on Qatar’s AXIOS
Frustrated that it is gaining very little by support for terror groups and relations with
staying in the nuclear deal – otherwise known Iran. Japan says reached oil
as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, The US maintains close ties with
or JCPOA, and still backed by signatories the both Qatar and its rivals, but the Trump storage deal with Kuwait
UK, France, Germany, China and Russia – administration’s several attempts to reconcile
because Europe has offered Iran’s economy the parties were unsuccessful. Japan said on Tuesday it has reached a joint oil
next to no protection from Trump’s sanctions, Kushner will meet Saudi Crown Prince storage deal with state-run Kuwait Petroleum
Iran has been gradually stepping up its non- Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Qatari Corp (KPC) to lend it 3.14 million barrels
compliance with its provisions. Emir Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, US officials (500,000 kilolitres) of capacity for free.
Last month, the IAEA documented several tell me. Kushner has close relationships with Under the deal, KPC can use storage tanks
new breaches of the JCPOA. Earlier this week, both leaders. at refiner Eneos’ Kiire base in southern Japan
Iran said it had begun injecting uranium Accompanying Kushner will be White of Kagoshima as an export base for eastern
hexafluoride gas into advanced centrifuges House envoy Avi Berkowitz, International Asia.
at its Natanz facility. Iran has also been Development Finance Corporation CEO In return, Japan gets a priority claim on the
stockpiling increasing amounts of enriched Adam Boehler, and former Iran envoy Brian stockpiles in case of emergency. The volume is
uranium and enriching it to higher and higher Hook, who is now an unpaid special adviser equivalent to 1.5 days of its consumption.
degrees. However, its enrichment process is and was involved in previous efforts to resolve It is Japan’s third such agreement, following
still a long way from producing weapons- the rift. UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
grade uranium, according to UN inspectors. Driving the news: Kushner’s trip comes a (ADNOC) and Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Aramco,
Following news of the death of week after a secret meeting between MBS and and is aimed at reinforcing its energy security,
Fakhrizadeh, spokesman for the Iranian Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. an official at the Japan’s Economy, Trade and
parliament’s National Security and Foreign The trip also comes days after the Industry Ministry (METI) said.
Policy Commission Abolfazi Amouei assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist The latest deal will boost Japan’s leased
said that the assassination would not set Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. While the Qataris oil storage capacity to a total of 19.5 million
back Iran’s nuclear programme, tweeting: condemned the assassination, the Saudis barrels (3.1 million kl).
“Nuclear knowledge is indigenized and will remained silent. The supply from KPC can be also used
be developed by national will in response to Kushner’s relations with MBS proved in other Asian countries, mainly ASEAN
assassinations. Retaliation is a RIGHT.” crucial over the last few months as the Trump nations, in case of emergency, the official said.
BNE administration moved forward with the In March, Tokyo mapped out a new
Abraham Accords, which led to normalisation international resource strategy under which it
Kushner to visit Saudi and between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and aims to expand oil stockpiling scheme which
Sudan.
benefits Japan, other Asian countries and oil
Qatar seeking deal to end normalisation, but they did agree to let suppliers.
The Saudis have not agreed to
Kuwait was Japan’s fourth-largest oil
crisis Israeli airlines use Saudi airspace for the first supplier in 2019 after Saudi Arabia, the UAE
and Qatar, providing 8.5% of Japan’s oil
time, and they gave Bahrain a green light for
Jared Kushner will travel in the coming days normalisation with Israel. The decision by import, the ministry’s official said.
to Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a last-ditch MBS to meet with Netanyahu was another REUTERS
effort to resolve the dispute between the Gulf significant step.
countries. The Trump administration is still trying to

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 48 02•December•2020