Irans Rafsanjani slams U.S. on oil Who is more deserving, the governments of Japan, America, Britain, Germany, and France or the peoples of our countries? REUTERS TEHRAN, Iran, March 31  Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani lashed out at the United States on Friday for lobbying OPEC members to increase oil production, which he said would lead to the plunder of producers resources. A superpower...forced these states to pave the way for the plunder of their wealth, Rafsanjani, who now heads a top state body, said in a Friday prayer sermon carried by state radio.

If oil is to become cheaper, why dont they cut their taxes? Why should it be paid out of the pockets of producers...?  AKBAR HASHEMI RAFSANJANI

Former Iranian president THE ACTION by Americas president was a bad move and regrettable, Rafsanjani said, referring to telephone calls by President Clinton to leaders of oil producing countries.

The White House said Wednesday that it saw no reason to apologize for what Iran called its heavy-handed lobbying members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries for a production increase.

Rafsanjani said producers received just 25 percent of total revenues from their oil while Western states pocketed 75 percent through taxes and other charges. Iraq OPEC quota: Iraqi oil production is constrained by the United Nations' limits on its exports. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates production at 2,300,000-2,400,000 barrels/day Reserves: 100 billion barrels Minister: Lt. Gen. Amir Muhammed Rashid United Arab Emirates OPEC quota: 2,157,000 barrels/day old quota: 2,000,000 barrels/day Reserves: 98.1 billion barrels Minister: Obeid bin Saif Al-Nasiri Quota applies only to Abu Dhabi. Qatar OPEC quota: 640,000 barrels/day old quota: 593,000 barrels/day Reserves: 3.5 billion barrels Minister: Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiya Kuwait OPEC quota: 1,980,000 barrels/day old quota: 1,836,000 barrels/day Reserves: 96.5 billion barrels Minister: Sheikh Saud Naser Al-Sabah Saudi Arabia OPEC quota: 8,023,000 barrels/day old quota: 7,438,000 barrels/day Reserves: 261.45 billion barrels Minister: Ali bin Ibrahim al-Naimi Iran OPEC quota: Iran initially declined to participate in the latest OPEC production accord but later seemed to change its mind. If it participates fully, its OPEC quota would be in the range of 3,621,000 barrels/day old quota: 3,359,000 barrels/day Reserves: 93.7 billion barrels Minister: Bijan Namdar Zaganeh Indonesia OPEC quota: 1,280,000 barrels/day old quota: 1,187,000 barrels/day Reserves: 5.167 billion barrels Minister: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Nigeria OPEC quota: 2,033,000 barrels/day old quota: 1,885,000 barrels/day Reserves: 20.828 billion barrels Minister: Rilwanu Lukman Libya OPEC quota: 1,323,000 barrels/day old quota: 1,227,000 barrels/day Reserves: 29.5 billion barrels Minister: Abdullah Salim al-Badri Algeria OPEC quota: 788,000 barrels/day old quota: 731,000 barrels/day Reserves: 9.979 billion barrels Minister: Youcef Yousfi Venezuela OPEC quota: 2,845,000 barrels/day old quota: 2,720,000 barrels/day Reserves: 66.329 billion barrels Minister: Ali Rodriguez Russia 1999 Average Production: 6,074,000 barrels/day Norway 1999 Average Production: 3,018,000 barrels/day United Kingdom 1999 Average Production: 2,691,000 barrels/day China 1999 Average Production: 3,206,000 barrels/day Oman 1999 Average Production: 900,000 barrels/day Egypt 1999 Average Production: 852,000 barrels/day Brazil 1999 Average Production: 1,094,000 barrels/day Mexico 1999 Average Production: 2,906,000 barrels/day United States 1999 Average Production: 5,938,000 barrels/day (preliminary estimate) Canada 1999 Average Production: 1,905,000 barrels/day SOURCE: U.S. Energy Information Administration If oil is to become cheaper, why dont they cut their taxes? Why should it be paid out of the pockets of producers and those who are needy themselves?

Who is more deserving, the governments of Japan, America, Britain, Germany, and France or the peoples of our countries which have been exploited for centuries?, Rafsanjani asked. He also called on OPEC members to close ranks after the recent rift in the cartel.

Nine members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed this week in Vienna to increase output by 1.45 million barrels per day from April 1 to curb prices. Iran objected to the deal but said it would raise production to maintain its market share, effectively taking the output hike to above 1.7 million barrels per day.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/389237.asp#BODY

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 02, 2000