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Why does Qatar seem to support PTM?

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The GCC, Iran and Gwadar
NAVEED AHMAD
July 23, 2018 15:45

More than 30 crude oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily, carrying some 35 million barrels of hydrocarbons, according to oil analytics firms. Though Saudi Arabia ranks as the world’s top producer, Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

With the imposition of stringent sanctions, US President Donald Trump is resolute in curbing Iran’s petroleum exports, which make up 80 percent of its national revenue. Consequently, 2 million barrels per day will vanish from the market, skyrocketing prices.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is outraged, threatening to disrupt oil shipments from neighboring Gulf countries. The so-called moderate is repeating the mantra of his predecessors. This is Tehran’s usual blackmail whenever it is pressed to the wall. Due to national boundaries, the actual width of the shipping lane is no more than 3.2 km.

During the war with Iraq in the 1980s, Iran attacked shipping vessels carrying hydrocarbons from its Arab rivals. The US Navy had to intervene to keep open the supply lane, which fulfills 85 percent of Asia’s energy needs.

In January 2012, upon the imposition of UN Security Council sanctions, Tehran made the same threat. Its navy often conducts military drills in the name of countering piracy and defending its coastline, so it could make good on its threat, but it would be suicide.

Iranian-Arab relations may have sunk to their lowest ebb, but both sides have so far exercised restraint to avoid direct confrontation. However, sanctions and the wrecked Iranian rial could lead Tehran to opt for extreme measures rather than reconciliation. Arab Gulf states have prepared themselves militarily, and worked out other options such as diverting exports to Red Sea coasts to continue an uninterrupted supply of petroleum.

China’s development of Pakistan’s Gwadar port, at the mouth of the Arabian Sea and 400 km from the Strait of Hormuz, offers a promising solution. Since China is Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states’ biggest trading partner and energy importer, the security situation in the region is an immediate concern for China. Half of its oil needs are met by Middle Eastern states.

A network of GCC pipelines… will secure oil supplies to Pakistan and China, and become home to massive storage depots in case of direct conflict between Arab states and Iran.

Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organization is working to lay an oil pipeline from Gwadar to the Chinese city of Urumqi. The UAE, which holds a 40 percent stake in the Pak-Arab Refinery Ltd. (PARCO), has revived the $6 billion Al-Khalifa refinery project. China’s Huanqiu Contracting and Engineering Corp. is mulling installing an oil refinery at Gwadar. So the contours of the Gulf-Gwadar-Urumqi oil supply route are starting to emerge.

Threats such as Rouhani’s can only be addressed if a network of GCC pipelines terminates at Gwadar. China and Arab Gulf states are studying the feasibility of such pipelines, which will secure oil supplies to Pakistan and China, and become home to massive storage depots in case of direct conflict between Arab states and Iran.

During its war with Iraq, Pakistan’s Karachi port served as the supply hub for Iran. Now there is obvious anxiety in Tehran given prospective and ongoing investments by Arab states in Pakistan’s coastal areas.

Gwadar, perfectly suited to dock very large crude carriers, can complement the Gulf’s maritime trade, especially when the Strait of Hormuz is subject to even more congestion. Gwadar’s role as an auxiliary anchorage for oil supplies to Pakistan, China and the GCC’s Asian customers could redefine the world’s economic geography.

GCC prefers long route through Malacca Straits direct to Jebel Ali because they cannot control Gwadar/Chabahar.
So they would rather take a long-haul route spanning the maritime borders of 8+ countries, rather than a friendly one at their feet?
 
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Qatar often play out of their league, the reason is that they are protected by Americans and their bases , remove them or the day they stop selling Oil to Gora , than they will get their own Qatri Tahafuz movements :P
 
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I am saying this:

UAE+Saudi=GCC=Do not like CPEC
Qatar+Iran=Not GCC=Like CPEC

UAE/Saudi wants Jebel Ali to be the main port

Qatar cannot use Jebel Ali because of blockade and uses Chabahar instead. Iran is already interested and wants to connect Chabahar to Gwadar and CPEC.

So if Pakistan plays its cards right, Iran and Qatar will end up on our side.
Lets not forget that Saudia is planning on setting up a huge refinery in Gawadar, now why would they do that if they are against Gawadar port or CPEC?
 
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Geo-political/soft-power leverage. Basically follow our (Qatars) national interests and we will make sure coverage on your country is positive. If you are neutral then we will occasionally produce negative content on your country and if you are anti-Qatar then we will actively produce negative content. Saudi Arabia falls in this last category with AJs coverage on Khashogis death being a prime example.
 
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What is my agenda? You are very uninformed if you think the GCCs don't oppose Gwadar. Especially UAE and Oman. Hold back on the ummah chummah.
Same was the case with Iran. The best way is to make opposing forces partners in economic projects.
 
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Lets not forget that Saudia is planning on setting up a huge refinery in Gawadar, now why would they do that if they are against Gawadar port or CPEC?

If I remember correctly a Petrochemical Plant is also planned & it is by UAE (someone can correct me if I am wrong). Land for both has been procured or is in the process.
 
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Little Qatar seems to needle every nation around it. Seems to have taken advantage of the goodwill Pakistan has extended to it during this Gulf backed blockade only to have been backstabbed as usual (Arab nature).

At time I wonder how useless our policy makers are in Islamabad. Our foreign policy seems to have no direction. From not recognizing Israel, not banning Al Jazeera, not stationing our nukes in KSA, not being more aggressive with Iran.

Our generals too seem lazy. All these shiny new jF-17s appear to be useless against ragtag terrorist from Iran/Afghanistan. Had it been Israel they would have bombed them to hell. Our policy makers should be lynched in public
 
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Little Qatar seems to needle every nation around it. Seems to have taken advantage of the goodwill Pakistan has extended to it during this Gulf backed blockade only to have been backstabbed as usual (Arab nature).

At time I wonder how useless our policy makers are in Islamabad. Our foreign policy seems to have no direction. From not recognizing Israel, not banning Al Jazeera, not stationing our nukes in KSA, not being more aggressive with Iran.

Our generals too seem lazy. All these shiny new jF-17s appear to be useless against ragtag terrorist from Iran/Afghanistan. Had it been Israel they would have bombed them to hell. Our policy makers should be lynched in public

Pakistani establishment is hyped up for no reason. It's highly incompetent. Which country tolerates weekly bomb blasts in it's territory for 7 years? First bomb blasts started happening around 2007 and went on till 2014 till the Army woke up and took action. Had it been Israel, it would have bombed Afghanistan to ashes and built an explosive mine field on it's borders.
 
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One word: Gwadar.

The entire GCC is very triggered by CPEC and Gwadar.
I would disagree here. It may affect UAE (mostly Dubai only) but not Qatar, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman at all. They are not regional trading hubs, most of their international shipments arrive via Dubai. In case of Qatar, they have their own issues with KSA/UAE which keep surfing every few decades like the current GCC rift.

If anything, Qatar would be pleased Gwadar rivaling Dubai port and may possibly trade through it in future.
 
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I would disagree here. It may affect UAE (mostly Dubai only) but not Qatar, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman at all. They are not regional trading hubs, most of their international shipments arrive via Dubai. In case of Qatar, they have their own issues with KSA/UAE which keep surfing every few decades like the current GCC rift.

If anything, Qatar would be pleased Gwadar rivaling Dubai port and may possibly trade through it in future.


Why would it not? Doha airport is a major transit hub. If Gwadar becomes an international level city, it would threaten Qatar's hegemony.
 
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The GCC, Iran and Gwadar
NAVEED AHMAD
July 23, 2018 15:45

More than 30 crude oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily, carrying some 35 million barrels of hydrocarbons, according to oil analytics firms. Though Saudi Arabia ranks as the world’s top producer, Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

With the imposition of stringent sanctions, US President Donald Trump is resolute in curbing Iran’s petroleum exports, which make up 80 percent of its national revenue. Consequently, 2 million barrels per day will vanish from the market, skyrocketing prices.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is outraged, threatening to disrupt oil shipments from neighboring Gulf countries. The so-called moderate is repeating the mantra of his predecessors. This is Tehran’s usual blackmail whenever it is pressed to the wall. Due to national boundaries, the actual width of the shipping lane is no more than 3.2 km.

During the war with Iraq in the 1980s, Iran attacked shipping vessels carrying hydrocarbons from its Arab rivals. The US Navy had to intervene to keep open the supply lane, which fulfills 85 percent of Asia’s energy needs.

In January 2012, upon the imposition of UN Security Council sanctions, Tehran made the same threat. Its navy often conducts military drills in the name of countering piracy and defending its coastline, so it could make good on its threat, but it would be suicide.

Iranian-Arab relations may have sunk to their lowest ebb, but both sides have so far exercised restraint to avoid direct confrontation. However, sanctions and the wrecked Iranian rial could lead Tehran to opt for extreme measures rather than reconciliation. Arab Gulf states have prepared themselves militarily, and worked out other options such as diverting exports to Red Sea coasts to continue an uninterrupted supply of petroleum.

China’s development of Pakistan’s Gwadar port, at the mouth of the Arabian Sea and 400 km from the Strait of Hormuz, offers a promising solution. Since China is Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states’ biggest trading partner and energy importer, the security situation in the region is an immediate concern for China. Half of its oil needs are met by Middle Eastern states.

A network of GCC pipelines… will secure oil supplies to Pakistan and China, and become home to massive storage depots in case of direct conflict between Arab states and Iran.

Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organization is working to lay an oil pipeline from Gwadar to the Chinese city of Urumqi. The UAE, which holds a 40 percent stake in the Pak-Arab Refinery Ltd. (PARCO), has revived the $6 billion Al-Khalifa refinery project. China’s Huanqiu Contracting and Engineering Corp. is mulling installing an oil refinery at Gwadar. So the contours of the Gulf-Gwadar-Urumqi oil supply route are starting to emerge.

Threats such as Rouhani’s can only be addressed if a network of GCC pipelines terminates at Gwadar. China and Arab Gulf states are studying the feasibility of such pipelines, which will secure oil supplies to Pakistan and China, and become home to massive storage depots in case of direct conflict between Arab states and Iran.

During its war with Iraq, Pakistan’s Karachi port served as the supply hub for Iran. Now there is obvious anxiety in Tehran given prospective and ongoing investments by Arab states in Pakistan’s coastal areas.

Gwadar, perfectly suited to dock very large crude carriers, can complement the Gulf’s maritime trade, especially when the Strait of Hormuz is subject to even more congestion. Gwadar’s role as an auxiliary anchorage for oil supplies to Pakistan, China and the GCC’s Asian customers could redefine the world’s economic geography.
Pakistan cannot even finish a small Iran pipeline since 1995 and now we're supposed to believe Pakistan is going to build a pipeline spanning entire length of Pakistan from Gwadar to Urumqi?

Are you f****** kidding me?

So they would rather take a long-haul route spanning the maritime borders of 8+ countries, rather than a friendly one at their feet?

Yes

Why would it not? Doha airport is a major transit hub. If Gwadar becomes an international level city, it would threaten Qatar's hegemony.

No city in Pakistan is threatening Doha's hegemony as an air transit hub anytime soon
 
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