Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 5327 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Yemen Jordan

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 86 88 89 90 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1986/05
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/07 2001/10
2002/02 2002/03 2002/11
2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan
Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AF AE AJ ASEC AMGT AR AU AG AS AM AORC AFIN APER ABUD ATRN AL AEMR ACOA AO AX AMED ADCO AODE AFFAIRS AC ASIG ABLD AA AFU ASUP AROC ATFN AVERY APCS AER ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AEC APECO AGMT
BR BA BE BL BEXP BTIO BM BK BRUSSELS BX BU BO BH BIDEN BY BG BF BB BC BBSR BMGT BTIU BILAT
CH CASC CA CD CV CVIS CMGT CO CI CU CBW CLINTON CE CJAN CIA CG CF CN CS CAN COUNTER CDG CIS CM CONDOLEEZZA COE CR CY CTM COUNTRY CLEARANCE CPAS CWC CT CKGR CB CACS COM CJUS CARSON CL COUNTERTERRORISM CACM CDB
DR DA DHS DOE DEA DK DJ DISENGAGEMENT DS DTRA DOD DEAX
EPET EINV ECON ENRG EAID ETRD EG ETTC EFIN EU EAGR ELAB EIND EUN EAIR ER ECIN ECPS EFIS EI EINT EZ EMIN ET EC ECONEFIN ENVR ES ECA ELN EN EFTA EWWT ELTN EXTERNAL EINVETC ENIV EINN ENGR EUR ESA ENERG EK ENGY ETRO ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ETRDEINVTINTCS ESENV ENVI ELECTIONS ECUN EINVEFIN ECIP EINDETRD EUC EREL
FR FINR FAO FTAA FREEDOM FI FARC FBI FJ FMLN
GH GA GG GM GV GE GT GR GTIP GOI GCC GAZA GZ GTMO
HU HR HILLARY HA HUMAN HO HYMPSK HURI HK HSTC
IR IZ IS IT INTERPOL IPR IN INRB IAEA IRAJ INRA INRO IO IC ID IIP ITPHUM IV IWC IQ ICTY ISRAELI IRAQI ICRC ICAO IMO IF ILC IEFIN INTELSAT IL IA IBRD IMF INR IRC ITALY ITALIAN
JO JA JOSEPH JP JOHNNIE JUS JAMES
KCOR KZ KDEM KN KNNP KPAL KU KWBG KCRM KE KISL KAWK KSCA KS KSPR KJUS KFRD KTIP KPAO KTFN KIPR KPKO KNUC KMDR KGHG KPLS KOLY KUNR KDRG KIRF KIRC KBIO KHLS KG KACT KGIC KRAD KCOM KMCA KV KHDP KVPR KDEV KWMN KMPI KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KCFC KTIA KHIV KPRP KAWC KCIP KCFE KOCI KTDB KMRS KLIG KBCT KICC KGIT KSTC KPAK KNEI KSEP KPOA KFLU KNUP KNNPMNUC KOMC KO KTER KSUM KHUM KRFD KBTR KDDG KWWMN KFLO KSAF KBTS KPRV KNPP KNAR KWMM KERG KFIN KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTBT KCRS KRVC KSTH KREL KNSD KTEX KPAI KHSA KR KPWR KWAC KMIG KSEC KIFR KDEMAF KGCC KPIN
LE LH LY LU LG LI LO LOG LT
MOPS MARR MASS MTCRE MX MCAP MO MNUC ML MR MZ MPOS MOPPS MTCR MAPP MU MY MA MG MASC MCC MEPP MK MTRE MP MIL MDC MAR MEPI MRCRE MI MT MQADHAFI MD MAPS MUCN MASSMNUC MERCOSUR MC
NI NATO NPT NG NL NU NIPP NO NE NS NAR NZ NPG NK NSG NA NT NASA NGO NP NSF NATIONAL
ODIP OIIP OREP OVIP OEXC OPRC OFDP OPDC OTRA OSCE OAS OPIC OECD OPCW OSCI OIE OIC OTR OVP OFFICIALS OSAC
PGOV PINR PREL PTER PK PHUM PE PARM PBIO PINS PREF PSOE PBTS PL PHSA PKFK PO PGOF PROP PA PARMS PORG PM PMIL PTERE POL PF PALESTINIAN PY PGGV PNR POV PAK PAO PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PRGOV PNAT PROV PEL PINF PGOVE POLINT PRL PRAM PMAR PGOVLO PHUMBA PHUS PHUMPREL PG POLITICS PEPR PSI PINT PU POLITICAL PARTIES PECON POGOV PINL
QA
RS RU RW RP RO RIGHTS RICE ROBERT RF RFE REGION
SCUL SA SY SP SNAR SENV SU SW SOCI SL SG SMIG SO SF SR SN SHUM SZ SYR ST SANC SC SAN SIPRS SK SH SI SNARCS STEINBERG
TX TW TU TSPA TH TIP TI TS TBIO TRGY TC TR TT TERRORISM TO TFIN TD TSPL TZ TPHY TK TNGD TINT TRSY TP
UK UG UP UV US UN UNSC UNGA USEU USUN UY UZ UNO UNMIK UNESCO UE UAE UNEP USTR UNHCR UNDP UNHRC USAID UNCHS UNAUS UNCHC
VT VE VZ VM VTPREL VN
WTRO WA WI WZ WMO WTRQ WHO WWARD WB WBG WEU WHA WTO
XA XF XT XM XY XG XC XH XL XZ XW XR XD XE XK XS
YM YI YE
ZB ZI ZP ZK ZF ZANU ZOELLICK ZR ZU ZA ZO ZJ

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 09TRIPOLI765, NATIONAL OIL CORPORATION BUSINESS CONTINUES AMID CHAIRMAN'S RESIGNATION REF: A) Tripoli 72; B) 08 Tripoli 564 TRIPOLI 00000765 001.2 OF 003

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09TRIPOLI765.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09TRIPOLI765 | 2009-09-27 10:10 | 2011-01-31 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | Embassy Tripoli

`

    VZCZCXRO5238
    OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
    DE RUEHTRO #0765/01 2701047
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O P 271047Z SEP 09
    FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5297
    INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
    RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1166
    RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0837
    RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0608
    RUEHVT/AMEMBASSY VALLETTA 0444
    RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
    RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
    RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 5842

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TRIPOLI 000765

    NOFORN SIPDIS

    STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND E; STATE PLEASE PASS USTR; ENERGY FOR GINA ERICKSON; COMMERCE FOR NATE MASON

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/27/2019

    TAGS: ECON EPET EMIN PGOV LY ENRG

    SUBJECT: NATIONAL OIL CORPORATION BUSINESS CONTINUES AMID CHAIRMAN'S RESIGNATION REF: A) Tripoli 72; B) 08 Tripoli 564 TRIPOLI 00000765 001.2 OF 003

    CLASSIFIED BY: Gene A. Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)

    1.(C) Summary: Acting Chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation, Ali Sugheir, insisted that in spite of the resignation of former Chairman Shukri Ghanem, business operations would continue as usual. Sugheir did not know when a new chairman would be appointed but did not expect operations to change at all in the interim, as Sugheir personally had been directing the company's operations as General Director for the last three years. To that end, Sugheir outlined plans to create a new joint venture with ENI to export eight billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year, to expand the Greenstream pipeline capacity, and to develop a new Liquefied Natural Gas facility capable of producing five bcms per year. Sugheir also confirmed GOL plans to establish a new General People's Committee (Ministry-equivalent) for Energy, which will take charge of Libya's oil, gas, electricity, nuclear and solar energy, and environmental sectors. End Summary.

    AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, NOC CHIEF SUCCESSFULLY RESIGNS

    2.(C) During a September 15 meeting with P/E Chief, the Acting Chairman and General Director of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC), Ali Sugheir, confirmed that Shukri Ghanem had resigned from his position as Chairman of the NOC - a position Ghanem had held since 2005. Sugheir said he was not at liberty to discuss the reason for Ghanem's resignation, the timing of which was considered unusual by several General Manager's of International Oil Companies (IOC) represented in Tripoli. However, Sugheir insisted that the NOC would continue operating as usual. He said that as General Director of the NOC, he was already in charge of daily operations - even under Ghanem - and that the company's direction would not change simply because the chairman had departed. He explained that his colleague, Azzam Ali al-Mesallati, would also continue in his role as head of investment and joint ventures. [Note: Many observers believe al-Mesallati will be named NOC Chairman in Ghanem's place. End Note.] "We are moving forward with business as usual," Sugheir stated, "you will see no difference in our operations from the outside."

    3.(C) Numerous explanations surround Shukri Ghanem's August 25 resignation. An August 27 article published by independent foreign-based website "Libya al Youm" reported that Ghanem resigned in protest of policies generated by Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi. xxxxxxxxxxxx

    BUSINESS AS USUAL - DEVELOPING LIBYA'S GAS SECTOR

    4.(C) As an example of moving forward with business as usual, Sugheir discussed his work to develop Libya's gas sector, sharing his long-term vision of transforming Libya into a hub for gas exports, to Europe and across the region. To that end, the NOC is developing a gas network from East Benghazi (650 miles east of Tripoli) to Mellitah (60 miles west of Tripoli) that will eventually transport more than 400 million cubic meters of gas. Additionally the Sirte Oil Company (state-run) is extracting gas from the Marsa al Brega field (from which the Esso company pulled out in 1983) for transport to Benghazi, 480 miles eastward, and further eastward along the coast to the city of al-Khums.

    5.(C) In the west, Sugheir explained that the Mellitah Oil and Gas B.V. company, a joint venture between the NOC and the Italian company ENI, is extracting gas from Al Wafah field (60 miles west of Tripoli) and transporting it via its Greenstream pipeline to Mellitah for export and domestic consumption. [Note: The Greenstream pipeline came on-stream in September 2004. End Note.] The joint-venture exports 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year across the Mediterranean and supplies 2 bcms per year to the Libyan domestic market. To achieve an TRIPOLI 00000765 002.2 OF 003 additional transport capacity of 3 bcms per year, Mellitah Oil and Gas B.V. is expanding the Greenstream pipeline. The firm is also constructing a new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility at Mellitah designed to produce 5 bcms per year of LNG to be marketed worldwide. [Note: Mellitah Oil and Gas B.V. also produces 420,000 barrels of oil per day, and ENI is entitled to 12% of produced oil and 40% of natural gas extracted. End note.]

    6.(C) According to Sugheir, the NOC is also currently working on a project to provide gas to all electric, cement, and steel factories throughout Libya via pipelines that are being developed by the Sirte Oil Company. He said that the NOC had adopted a European model for its gas exploration activities, which he described as a "no-waste" policy. Sugheir estimated that over 25 million cubic meters of gas had been flared (i.e., wasted) over the last twenty years - his new policy was designed to ensure that gas flaring activities were minimized. He said that the NOC was working in coordination with other government bodies to develop an overall strategic gas policy, which would include plans for further development of the sector, as well as gas pricing strategies.

    LIBYA STILL INVESTING IN NEW OIL EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES

    7.(C) To counter criticism that many companies had downsized or closed operations because most new oil exploration activities in Libyan fields had not produced, Sugheir blamed the global economic crisis, claiming that many of the new fields were still in the early stages of development and would not be ready for production for three or four more years. He cited a recent discovery by the Waha Group (a joint-venture that includes U.S. companies Marathon, Amerada-Hess, and Conoco-Phillips) in the Jalo field in the Sirte Basin (400 miles south of Benghazi) as evidence that new exploration activities were worthwhile. [Note: The discovery at Jalo field, which lies on the southern end of the Sirte Basin, was unsurprising given the area's proven reserves. End note.] Sugheir also described a "huge" NOC project to develop an international oil pipeline that would connect the cities of al-Khums, Tripoli, and Mellitah and would eventually be a source for increased exports to Europe. He said that five major sedimentary basins with oil and gas resources had been discovered in Libya and that seismic data suggested that much more remained to be discovered across the country. Most areas in Libya, he stated, were still underexplored. Sugheir insisted that the GOL's goal of producing 3 million barrels of oil per day by 2012 was still feasible.

    NEW MINISTRY OF ENERGY TO BE CREATED

    8.(C) In other energy-related news, Sugheir confirmed that the GOL was in the process of establishing a new General People's Committee (Ministry-equivalent) for Energy, which will direct Libya's oil, gas, electricity, nuclear and solar energy, and environmental sectors. The new ministry will also promote joint ventures between the GOL and private local and foreign companies in the aforementioned sectors. Sugheir claimed that the idea of a Ministry of Energy was not new, and in fact, the ministry would represent the reincarnation of a previous energy structure that had existed in the past. [Note: An informal energy council already exists, comprised of the Ministers for Transport, Manpower, and Economy, NOC representatives, and members of Libya's National Security Council. End note.]

    9.(C/NF) Bio note: Ali Mohamad Salah Al Sugheir has served as Vice-Chairman and General Director of Libya's National Oil Corporation since 2006. Prior to this, he served as chairman of the Sirte Oil Company, the most important of the NOC's subsidiaries, a position to which he was appointed after a short stint as exploration manager. A graduate of Glasgow University, Sugheir speaks Arabic and fluent English. During the meeting with P/E Chief, he was charismatic, confident, and engaging, and he seemed personally proud of the NOC's initiatives to expand its gas exploration activities. While he accepted a meeting easily by phone with P/E Chief, he emphasized that a meeting with the Ambassador must be requested officially through MFA Protocol. Although the meeting took place during Ramadan - the Islamic holy month during which Muslims are called to fast - Sugheir asked if he could open and begin eating a box of candy that P/E Chief delivered in honor of Eid. He refrained when a TRIPOLI 00000765 003.2 OF 003 colleague quietly mentioned Ramadan.

    10.(C) Comment: Ghanem's resignation was not unexpected; xxxxxxxxxxxx. More recently, Ghanem had been tasked with collecting funds to pay for the lavish celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of Qadhafi's coup. (A manager at Total claims that the NOC has ordered a 100-thousand barrel per day increase to recoup funds for the gala event.) As March and September (General People's Congresses and Revolution Day, respectively) are customary windows for high-level personnel changes, the September 1 window may have been the chance Ghanem was looking for to get out xxxxxxxxxxxx. Regardless of the reason for the resignation, Ali Sugheir - who does not seem as encumbered as Ghanem by reformist ideals - does not intend to waste time wondering who will replace the chairman. Sugheir's plans to move forward with expanding Libya's gas sector are robust, and if successful, could provide the GOL with another large source of income to fill in the gaps for any losses in the oil sector. End Comment. CRETZ

`