US Energy Secretary: Oil Not Tool For Political Gain

[Karl]

By Juhel Browne – May 15, 2008

Energy resources such as oil should never be used as a diplomatic tool for political gain, says United States Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. He made the assertion while speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Port of Spain regarding Venezuela President Hugo Chavez's controversial PetroCaribe oil supply deal with 13 Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states.

Even though Trinidad and Tobago has not signed on to PetroCaribe, the Government has said this country enjoys a good diplomatic relationship with Venezuela even if it is yet to finalise an agreement on the exploration of natural gas fields that border the maritime spaces of both countries. Chavez, however, has expressed strong sentiments against the United States. Asked about Chavez using oil as a diplomatic tool, Bodman said, "I think its not a healthy thing and, you know, I think anytime you use energy or the presence of energy or the cost of energy as a tool a diplomat tool, I think that tends to be a slippery slope and you tend to move in the wrong direction."

Bodman was also asked about his disclosure during the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago breakfast meeting at the Hyatt about a critical security assessment of this nation's Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facilities conducted in January. That assessment was carried out with the assistance of the United States Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defence."

Representatives of both the Trinidad and Tobago and United States governments are scheduled to meet later this week to hold what Bodman said would be a "critical infrastructural workshop focused on the entire Caribbean basin region."

Source: Trinidad News, Trinidad Newspaper, Trinidad Sports, Trinidad politics, Trinidad and Tobago, Tobago News, Trinidad classifieds, Trinidad TV, Sports, Business

Related: U.S. calls Chavez oil diplomacy slippery slope | Markets | Reuters / U.S. Secretary of Energy Concludes Successful Trip to Trinidad and Tobago

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Err, Iraq anyone?

[spadlet]

If I remember correctly, the UK government tranfered the control of interest rates to the Bank of England to stop them being used for political gain. Who should control oil and other energy resources if the politicians don't think they can be trusted?