TRIPOLI: A rebel group in eastern Libya that controls several oil ports said yesterday it would not reopen the key Ras Lanuf and Es Sider terminals unless the government implemented its part of a deal to end the oil blockade.
In a sign of further delays to restarting vital oil exports from the volatile east, rebels said the Tripoli government had failed to fulfil its part of the accord reached this month.
Diplomats expect both sides to implement the deal eventually as the country badly needs the oil revenue but tactical manoeuvres and mutual mistrust are likely to cause delays.
“The government hasn’t fulfilled a single item of the agreement to reopen the porzts,” rebel spokesman Ali Al Hasi said. Tripoli has not paid state salaries to the rebels — who are former oil guards — as agreed under the deal reached earlier this month to reopen four oil ports, he said.
The agreement also called for a commission to investigate corruption.
So far only the 110,000 barrels a day Hariga port in Tobruk has resumed work, while the Zueitina port is facing technical issues after the long blockage.
Both ports were meant to reopen immediately after the signing of the deal almost three weeks ago, with the larger terminals Ras Lanuf and Es Sider restarting after more talks.
Cabinet spokesman Ahmed Lamin had said earlier that the Ras Lanuf and Es Sider ports would be handed over within a month — a claim dismissed by the rebel spokesman unless the government fulfilled its part of the deal. Lamin said Zueitina port cannot resume exports until outstanding technical issues are fixed.
Sources close to the talks say part of the problem is that some rebels at Zueitina terminal had demanded to be put on the government payroll, a strategy used to put pressure on the weak central government.REUTERS
