Ros-Lehtinen Calls for Investigation Into Possible Violations of U.S. Law by Venezuela State Oil Company Linked to Iran
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Rep. IleanaRos-Lehtinen (R-FL) today requested that the Bush administration launch aninvestigation into whether a recently reported petrochemical sectoragreement between the governments of Venezuela and Iran violates U.S. law. Late last year, Venezuela's state-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA(PdVSA), which operates in the United States under the CITGO brand, andIran's Petropars, a unit of the National Iranian Oil Company, announcedthat they would form a $1 billion global oil and gas venture. "I am deeply concerned about these reports involving the Venezuelanstate-run oil company and its links to Iran," said Ros-Lehtinen, RankingRepublican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In her request to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and TreasurySecretary Henry Paulson, Ros-Lehtinen said an examination should focus onwhether a PdVSA-Petropars partnership violates either the letter or thespirit of the Iran Sanctions Act. The law is intended to deter investment in Iran and impede thecountry's ability to finance its nuclear development and its support ofterrorism. Ros-Lehtinen's letter specifically seeks information aboutwhether CITGO benefits financially from Iranian investment in Venezuela'senergy sector or Venezuelan investment in Iran's energy sector and whetherforeign oil companies or their subsidiaries have violated U.S. law. "We must ensure that U.S. law is fully implemented and enforced as ameans of denying Iran the ability to develop unconventional weaponscapabilities, fund terrorist organizations, or pursue other destructivepolicies," Ros-Lehtinen said. "In our oversight role, we have a duty to ensure that U.S. law has notbeen violated, and I strongly urge other members of the Committee to joinus in our efforts," Ros-Lehtinen concluded.
SOURCE House Committee on Foreign Affairs (Republican Office)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Rep. IleanaRos-Lehtinen (R-FL) today requested that the Bush administration launch aninvestigation into whether a recently reported petrochemical sectoragreement between the governments of Venezuela and Iran violates U.S. law. Late last year, Venezuela's state-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA(PdVSA), which operates in the United States under the CITGO brand, andIran's Petropars, a unit of the National Iranian Oil Company, announcedthat they would form a $1 billion global oil and gas venture. "I am deeply concerned about these reports involving the Venezuelanstate-run oil company and its links to Iran," said Ros-Lehtinen, RankingRepublican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In her request to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and TreasurySecretary Henry Paulson, Ros-Lehtinen said an examination should focus onwhether a PdVSA-Petropars partnership violates either the letter or thespirit of the Iran Sanctions Act. The law is intended to deter investment in Iran and impede thecountry's ability to finance its nuclear development and its support ofterrorism. Ros-Lehtinen's letter specifically seeks information aboutwhether CITGO benefits financially from Iranian investment in Venezuela'senergy sector or Venezuelan investment in Iran's energy sector and whetherforeign oil companies or their subsidiaries have violated U.S. law. "We must ensure that U.S. law is fully implemented and enforced as ameans of denying Iran the ability to develop unconventional weaponscapabilities, fund terrorist organizations, or pursue other destructivepolicies," Ros-Lehtinen said. "In our oversight role, we have a duty to ensure that U.S. law has notbeen violated, and I strongly urge other members of the Committee to joinus in our efforts," Ros-Lehtinen concluded.
SOURCE House Committee on Foreign Affairs (Republican Office)
