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Article: Oil battles in Western Sahara. (Oil and Gas).
- Article from:
- African Business
- Article date:
- March 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 IC Publications Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The recent conclusion of oil exploration contracts between the government of Morocco and two oil companies has pushed the troubled state of Western Sahara back into the spotlight.
Given that the exploration licences relate to maritime territory which would be categorised as Saharawi under any definition of the territorial extent of an independent Western Sahara, the deals have unleashed a storm of protest.
The two 12-month exploration agreements in question have been signed by French oil major TotalFinaElf, for a 115,000 sq km exploration block off the coast of Dakhla, and US independent Kerr-McGee, for a 110,000 sq km licence off the northern coast. ...