Cambodian prime minister criticizes OPEC Mon, 08 Oct 2007
DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen railed at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Monday in response to recent attacks by political opponents at home over the country's high cost of gasoline. The price of gasoline hovers at just above a dollar a litre in an impoverished nation where hundreds of thousands of people earn less than a dollar a day.
"A few days ago there was a man who claimed he would decrease the price of gasoline (by 25 per cent) if he won the election. For me, if OPEC decreased the price of oil to 25 dollars a barrel, I will decrease the price of gasoline (by 50 per cent) or more," Hun Sen told a graduation ceremony in the capital.
"The best way is to ensure political stability in Cambodia first," he added.
The comments appeared to be a direct swipe at opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who held an informal meal catering to hundreds of the capital's thousands of motorbike taxi drivers at his Sam Rainsy Party headquarters last week and criticized the country's hefty petrol prices.
World oil prices are currently hovering at around the 80 dollar per barrel mark, and OPEC countries keep a tight reign on prices.
Campaigning for next year's general election is officially still months away, but political parties have increasingly moved into election mode, with inflation and the cost of living already emerging as key issues.
OPEC consists of Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.
The group is estimated to produce about 40 per cent of the world's oil but to hold more than 77 per cent of the world's proved oil reserves. OPEC also claims nearly all of the world's excess oil production capacity.
Although Cambodia is expected to tap into its own potentially lucrative offshore oil reserves by the end of the decade, it currently remains totally dependent on imports, with inflation running at 4.7 per cent in 2006, according to the Ministry of Finance.
"A few days ago there was a man who claimed he would decrease the price of gasoline (by 25 per cent) if he won the election. For me, if OPEC decreased the price of oil to 25 dollars a barrel, I will decrease the price of gasoline (by 50 per cent) or more," Hun Sen told a graduation ceremony in the capital.
"The best way is to ensure political stability in Cambodia first," he added.
The comments appeared to be a direct swipe at opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who held an informal meal catering to hundreds of the capital's thousands of motorbike taxi drivers at his Sam Rainsy Party headquarters last week and criticized the country's hefty petrol prices.
World oil prices are currently hovering at around the 80 dollar per barrel mark, and OPEC countries keep a tight reign on prices.
Campaigning for next year's general election is officially still months away, but political parties have increasingly moved into election mode, with inflation and the cost of living already emerging as key issues.
OPEC consists of Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.
The group is estimated to produce about 40 per cent of the world's oil but to hold more than 77 per cent of the world's proved oil reserves. OPEC also claims nearly all of the world's excess oil production capacity.
Although Cambodia is expected to tap into its own potentially lucrative offshore oil reserves by the end of the decade, it currently remains totally dependent on imports, with inflation running at 4.7 per cent in 2006, according to the Ministry of Finance.
14 comments:
Oil price will be decreased 90% of the present price if the Royal Government of Cambodia, under the leadership of Hun Sen, begs oil from OPEC for free. This Royal Government does not know how to reduce oil, even equal to the neighboring countries, if OPEC does not reduce.
The present government always claims to stablise peace for cambodia people. This peace is fragile peace which has been created by the former war makers. If peace is built by Cambodian people then peace is durable.
Well then, tell us how do you decrease the price of oil if OPEC doesn't reduce its price?
As for Cambodia, there will not be any war or riot in the country. What more are you looking for?
To reduce the prices of the oil you can't, because you are not Saudi,Kuwait or Venezuela they have the resources most of that they produce them selves,and yours CHEVRON? They have to make money for their own first after they make it enough so you can get it.
And mr. blind prime minister what he has to do just empty promise to Cambodian people for wining the election and to maintain his corrupt government for his own benefit. Talking about instabilities or war some time we can't avoid ,between life and death threat to the country some time we have to risk our lives to get the live.
Well, I don't see any promise here. All I see is a bunch of "IF" statement. Here's the quote:
"if OPEC decreased the price of oil to 25 dollars a barrel, I will decrease the price of gasoline (by 50 per cent) or more," Hun Sen told a graduation ceremony in the capital."
If we use US petrol price to work out we find that most USA petrol station has sold petrol at US$ 2.90/galon. one galon= 3.79 litre.
Therefore 1l cost in USA US$ 0.76.
Yeah all comparison but if Opec can do it he will do it too?,but you think he can do it ?,This is possibility to be promise be cause he wants to win the election so it will be nothing happen if he had won the election because OPEC can't make it and Cambodia drink the water under the OPEC armpit the cost of gasoline in Cambodia cost higher than it neighboring be cause it export from out side, what kind of if words he try to say if he can't even do it, so go around with his bla bla bla and bla that called empty speech ,nuisances and useless
Of course he want to win the election, who wouldn't?
Anyway, high fuel price is not good news for any undeveloped country. I just hoped we be blessed with lot of oil so that we'll all can get out of this messes, since can't count on the culture of impunity to restore what they have destroyed.
$25 a barrel? does the think he living in he 70s? Oh that's right he his living in the 70s, he was and is a khmer rouge.
Everybody seems to compare the price of the gasoline in Cambodia to USA. But remember that the gasoline price per galon is 60% go taxes. And USA use those tax for road building and maintained the highways. What is the price of gasoline in Cambodian ? Is any of those price go to tax? Is the Cambodian government collecting any taxes? Or those taxes collected go to the pockets of those who collected?
It is similar here. The government tax all fuel and used it for road also.
Every years we add more and more new roads, as oppose to the US that only maintaining or repairing road (no new road) and pocket the rest of the money.
Even OPEC gives Hun Sen $0 per barrel, he cannot do refinery anyway. He probably think tha is liquid gold and take bath in it. He has no brain.
What is a stupid idea? OPEC buys oil from Cambodia? hahaha, LOL, hahaha...
1:15PM, why not business is business?
12:36AM sorry for you live only in the Communist society!
If you know any one live in the west, France, Canada, USA, England, Australia, ect.. ask them about new raods being built!
We don't have to ask anyone about roads? We have contacts in Russia who provided us with images from their scientific satellites.
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