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US oil firm files arbitration claim against Ecuador for ’expropriation’
18-May-2006 ANTARA
The US-based Occidental Petroleum Company has filed an arbitration claim against Quito for canceling its exploration rights, a move that resulted in a suspension of free trade talks with Washington.
Occidental files BIT claim against Ecuador at ICSID
18-May-2006
US-based Occidental Petroleum has responded swiftly to a move by the Ecuadorian Government to kick the company out of Ecuador. The firm filed a request for arbitration with the Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) yesterday. The company’s claim is expected to be for at least $1 Billion (US) in damages.
Ecuador minister says US political interference unacceptable
18-May-2006 MarketWatch
Finance Minister Diego Borja said that the US decision to break off free trade talks with Ecuador after the government canceled Occidental Petroleum Corp’s (OXY) contracts was unacceptable political interference.
White House axes free trade talks with Ecuador
17-May-2006 CNN
The Bush administration announced Tuesday it has broken off negotiations on a free trade agreement with Ecuador after that government’s decision to annul an operating contract with Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Ecuador sends military to seized oil facilities
17-May-2006 Globe and Mail
Ecuadorean President Alfredo Palacio sent troops to guard oil facilities seized from Occidental Petroleum Corp. as they are transferred to state control, officials said Tuesday.
US-Ecuador free trade agreement frozen
15-May-2006 MercoPress
Ecuador’s chief trade negotiator, Manuel Chiriboga, admitted that a huge "uncertainty" surrounds the future of the free trade negotiations with United States suspended since the end of March.
Shaukat for setting up ECO free trade area
9-May-2006 Business Recorder
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday called for the establishment of an ECO free trade area and intra-regional oil and gas pipelines, saying an energy grid could create inter-linkages necessary for making the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) more effective.
Energy concerns fueling Japan’s drive to pursue free trade pact
8-May-2006 Jakarta Post
Energy resource-poor Japan is turning to a free-trade agreement, or FTA, with oil and gas-rich trading partners to secure stable supplies to fuel the world’s second largest economy.
Aziz links free trade to Kashmir
3-May-2006 Daily Times
Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday that free trade with India was not possible without resolving political disputes.
Macho men and state capitalism - is another world possible?
24-Apr-2006 Centro de Medios Independientes de Colombia
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is widely seen to be at the center of Latin America’s transformation by building a regional trade bloc through the creation of ALBA and Venezuela’s membership in Mercosur to oppose US dominance and its constant push for free trade agreements with Latin American governments. However, the true democratic debate has been silenced in this simplified two-sided fight between the projects of macho men.
Korea pledges to protect rice market in FTA talks
24-Apr-2006 Korea Times
The Ministry of Finance and Economy said that it would exert all-out efforts to shelter the Korean rice market from an influx of US agricultural imports after the enforcement of the proposed Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.
Japan proposes text on resources cooperation with Indonesia for FTA
24-Apr-2006 Kyodo
Japan and Indonesia wrapped up their fourth round of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement in Tokyo on Friday, with Japan proposing for the first time a draft clause in the FTA which calls for bilateral cooperation on mineral resources.
US: Ecuador oil-tax law violates treaty
22-Apr-2006 AP
A US Embassy spokeswoman said Friday that a newly approved oil-tax law designed to cut into windfall profits of foreign oil producers, like US-based Occidental Petroleum Corp, violates a bilateral investment treaty.
Ecuador seeks to salvage free trade deal
20-Apr-2006 AP
Ecuador’s ambassador to Washington return to Quito for consultations on how to overcome an impasse with US free trade negotiators over an oil-tax bill designed to cut into foreign windfall crude profits.
Ecuador to formally request date to resume US FTA talks
19-Apr-2006 MarketWatch
The Ecuadorean government plans to send a formal request this week to the U.S. government to resume free trade talks between the two nations, the country’s top trade negotiator said Tuesday.
Oil law may hit Ecuador-US deal
17-Apr-2006 FT
New legislation designed to increase the state’s share of windfall oil revenues by some $600m a year is set to derail Ecuador’s plans to negotiate a trade deal with the US, according to government officials.
Ecuador launches efforts to renew FTA negotiations with US
16-Apr-2006 Xinhua
The Ecuadorian government hopes to have the next round of FTA negotiations on May 8 in Washington — if it manages to pass an amendment bill to the Hydrocarbons Law. But the legislation is being staunchly opposed by private oil firms.
Japan, Saudi Arabia agree to launch FTA talks with GCC
6-Apr-2006 TMCnet
Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed Thursday to launch negotiations on concluding a free trade agreement between Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which consists of six oil producers in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Japanese officials said.
Ecuador: Protests against free trade reach critical juncture
23-Mar-2006 Upside Down World
The Ecuadorian government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, March 21 after countrywide protests and roadblocks led by indigenous peasants intensified.
Petroecuador rejects Oxy proposal to end legal dispute - Ecuador
20-Mar-2006 BNamericas
Ecuador’s state oil company Petroecuador has rejected US oil company Occidental’s offer to pay US$1bn to end a legal dispute between the two.