Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287
Articles
Brazil
Sri Lanka
United Kingdom
Sweden
00. Editorial
United States
Latin America
Egypt
Jordan
Yemen
Thailand
Browse latest releases
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
2010/12/25
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
2011/01/11
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
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
2011/05/13
2011/05/14
2011/05/15
2011/05/16
2011/05/17
2011/05/18
2011/05/19
2011/05/20
2011/05/21
2011/05/22
2011/05/23
2011/05/24
2011/05/25
2011/05/26
2011/05/27
2011/05/28
2011/05/29
2011/05/30
2011/05/31
2011/06/01
2011/06/02
2011/06/03
2011/06/04
2011/06/05
2011/06/06
2011/06/07
2011/06/08
2011/06/09
2011/06/10
2011/06/11
2011/06/12
2011/06/13
2011/06/14
2011/06/15
2011/06/16
2011/06/17
2011/06/18
2011/06/19
2011/06/20
2011/06/21
2011/06/22
2011/06/23
2011/06/24
2011/06/25
2011/06/26
2011/06/27
2011/06/28
2011/06/29
2011/06/30
2011/07/01
2011/07/02
2011/07/04
2011/07/05
2011/07/06
2011/07/07
2011/07/08
2011/07/10
2011/07/11
2011/07/12
2011/07/13
2011/07/14
2011/07/15
2011/07/16
2011/07/17
2011/07/18
2011/07/19
2011/07/20
2011/07/21
2011/07/22
2011/07/23
2011/07/25
2011/07/27
2011/07/28
2011/07/29
2011/07/31
2011/08/01
2011/08/02
2011/08/03
2011/08/05
2011/08/06
2011/08/07
2011/08/08
2011/08/10
2011/08/11
2011/08/12
2011/08/13
2011/08/15
2011/08/16
2011/08/17
2011/08/19
2011/08/21
2011/08/22
2011/08/23
2011/08/24
2011/08/25
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Antananarivo
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Alexandria
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embasy Bonn
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Brazzaville
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangui
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Belfast
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Cotonou
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chiang Mai
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Chengdu
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
DIR FSINFATC
Consulate Dusseldorf
Consulate Durban
Consulate Dubai
Consulate Dhahran
Embassy Guatemala
Embassy Grenada
Embassy Georgetown
Embassy Gaborone
Consulate Guayaquil
Consulate Guangzhou
Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Hong Kong
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kolonia
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Krakow
Consulate Kolkata
Consulate Karachi
Consulate Kaduna
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Lusaka
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lome
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy Libreville
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Leipzig
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Mission Geneva
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Mogadishu
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maseru
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Merida
Consulate Melbourne
Consulate Matamoros
Consulate Marseille
Embassy Nouakchott
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Nuevo Laredo
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Consulate Nagoya
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Praia
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Moresby
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Podgorica
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Ponta Delgada
Consulate Peshawar
REO Mosul
REO Kirkuk
REO Hillah
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
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 Surabaya
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy Tirana
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
Consulate Thessaloniki
USUN New York
USMISSION USTR GENEVA
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Mission CD Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
US Delegation FEST TWO
UNVIE
UN Rome
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vientiane
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AF
ADANA
ASEC
AFIN
AMGT
AE
AORC
AID
AR
AO
AU
ASEAN
AGOA
AFGHANISTAN
AFFAIRS
AMED
APER
ASECARP
APEC
AEMR
AS
AA
ANET
AFLU
ABLD
AL
ASUP
AJ
APECO
AMER
ABUD
AODE
AM
AFSN
AESC
AND
AG
ALOW
AROC
AVIANFLU
ATRN
ACOA
AEGR
AMGMT
AADP
AFSI
ACABQ
APRM
AZ
AIDS
ASE
AGAO
ADCO
ABDALLAH
ARF
AIDAC
ACOTA
ASCH
AC
ASEG
AGR
ACS
AMCHAMS
AN
AMIA
ASIG
ADPM
ADB
ANARCHISTS
ALOWAR
ARM
AUC
AINF
AINT
AORG
AY
AVIAN
AMEDCASCKFLO
AK
ARSO
ARABBL
ASO
ANTITERRORISM
ARABL
AOWC
AGRICULTURE
ALJAZEERA
AMTC
AFINM
AOCR
ABER
ARR
AFPK
ASSEMBLY
ASSK
AZE
AORCYM
AINR
AGMT
AEC
ACKM
APRC
AIN
ASCC
AFPREL
ASED
APERTH
ASFC
ASECTH
AFSA
AOMS
AORCO
ANTXON
ARC
AFAF
ADIP
AIAG
AFARI
AEMED
AORL
AX
ASECAF
AOPC
ASECAFIN
AFZAL
APCS
AMB
AGUIRRE
AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL
AIT
ARCH
AMEX
ALI
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
AORCD
AVIATION
ARAS
AINFCY
ACBAQ
AOPR
AREP
ALEXANDER
ATRD
AEIR
AOIC
ABLDG
ASEX
AFR
ASCE
ATRA
ASEK
AER
ALOUNI
AMCT
AVERY
APR
AMAT
AEMRS
ASPA
AFU
AMG
ATPDEA
ALL
AECL
ACAO
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AORD
AFL
AME
ADM
ASECPHUM
AGIT
ABT
ASECVE
AGUILAR
AT
ABMC
ALZUGUREN
ANGEL
ASR
ANTONIO
BMGT
BEXP
BM
BG
BL
BA
BR
BTA
BO
BY
BBSR
BLUE
BK
BF
BTIO
BELLVIEW
BE
BU
BN
BH
BD
BC
BTC
BILAT
BT
BX
BRUSSELS
BP
BB
BRPA
BUSH
BURMA
BMENA
BESP
BIT
BBG
BGD
BMEAID
BAGHDAD
BEN
BIO
BMOT
BWC
BLUNT
BURNS
BUT
BGMT
BAIO
BCW
BOEHNER
BFIF
BOL
BASHAR
BIMSTEC
BOU
BIDEN
BZ
BFIN
BTRA
BI
BHUM
BOIKO
BERARDUCCI
BOUCHAIB
BORDER
BEXPC
BTIU
BTT
BIOS
BEXB
BGPGOV
BOND
BLR
CE
CG
CH
CVR
CASC
CU
CI
CD
CO
CDG
CB
CJAN
CPAS
COM
CVIS
CMGT
CT
CENTCOM
CNARC
CTERR
COUNTER
CHIEF
CDC
CTR
CBW
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CY
CA
CM
CS
CWC
CN
CITES
CF
CWG
CIVS
CFIS
CASCC
CROATIA
CONS
COUNTERTERRORISM
CASA
COE
CJ
CHR
CODEL
CR
CBC
CACS
CHERTOFF
CAS
CONTROL
CONDITIONS
CONDOLEEZZA
CITEL
CV
CLINTON
CHG
CZ
CON
CTBT
CEN
CRIMES
COMMERCE
CLOK
CRISTINA
CFED
CARC
CND
CTM
CARICOM
COUNTRYCLEARANCE
CBTH
CHINA
CSW
CICTE
CJUS
CYPRUS
CW
CAMBODIA
CENSUS
CIDA
CRIME
CBG
CBE
CMGMT
CAIO
CEC
CARSON
CPCTC
CEDAW
COMESA
CVIA
CWCM
CEA
COSI
CAPC
CGEN
COPUOS
CGOPRC
COETRD
CKGR
CFE
CQ
CITT
CIC
CARIB
CVIC
CLO
CAFTA
CVISU
CHRISTOPHER
CACM
CIAT
CDB
CIS
CUL
CHAO
CNC
CL
CSEP
COMMAND
CENTER
COL
CAN
CAJC
CUIS
CONSULAR
CLMT
CIA
CBSA
CEUDA
CAC
CROS
CIO
CPUOS
CKOR
CVPR
CONG
CONTROLS
CEPTER
CVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGKIRF
CDCE
DPOL
DEMARCHE
DHS
DR
DA
DISENGAGEMENT
DEMOCRATIC
DEFENSE
DJ
DY
DARFUR
DHRF
DEA
DTRO
DPRK
DO
DARFR
DOC
DRL
DK
DOJ
DTRA
DOMESTIC
DAC
DOD
DEAX
DIEZ
DEOC
DELTAVIOLENCE
DCOM
DMINE
DRC
DCG
DPKO
DOMESTICPOLITICS
DE
DB
DOT
DEPT
DOE
DHLAKAMA
DHSX
DS
DKEM
DAO
DCM
DANIEL
DEM
DAVID
DCRM
ETRD
EAGR
ETTC
EAID
ECON
EFIN
ECIN
EINV
ELAB
EAIR
ENRG
EPET
EWWT
ECPS
EIND
EMIN
ELTN
EC
ETMIN
EUC
EZ
ET
ELECTIONS
ENVR
EU
EUN
EG
EINT
ER
ECONOMICS
ES
EMS
ENIV
EEB
EN
ECE
ECOSOC
EK
ENVIRONMENT
EFIS
EI
EWT
ENGRD
ECPSN
EXIM
EIAD
ERIN
ECPC
EDEV
ENGY
ECTRD
EPA
ESTH
ECCT
EINVECON
ENGR
ERTD
EUR
EAP
EWWC
ELTD
EL
EXIMOPIC
EXTERNAL
ETRDEC
ESCAP
ECO
EGAD
ELNT
ECONOMIC
ENV
ETRN
EIAR
EUMEM
ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID
EREL
ECOM
ECONETRDEAGRJA
ETCC
ETRG
ECONOMY
EMED
ETR
ENERG
EITC
EFINOECD
EURM
EENG
ERA
EXPORT
ENRD
ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC
EGEN
EBRD
EVIN
ETRAD
ECOWAS
EFTA
ECONETRDBESPAR
EGOVSY
EPIN
EID
ECONENRG
EDRC
ESENV
ETT
EB
ENER
ELTNSNAR
ECHEVARRIA
ETRC
EPIT
EDUC
ESA
EFI
ENRGY
ESCI
EE
EAIDXMXAXBXFFR
EETC
ECIP
EIAID
EIVN
EBEXP
ESTN
EING
EGOV
ETRA
EPETEIND
ELAN
ETRDGK
EAIDRW
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
EPEC
ENVI
ELN
EAG
EPCS
EPRT
EPTED
ETRB
EUM
EAIDS
EFIC
EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM
EAIDAR
ESF
EIDN
ELAM
EDU
EV
EAIDAF
ECN
EDA
EXBS
EINTECPS
ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ
EPREL
EAC
EINVEFIN
ETA
EAGER
EINDIR
ECA
ECLAC
ELAP
EITI
EUCOM
ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID
EARG
ELDIN
EINVKSCA
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EFINTS
ECCP
ETC
EAIRASECCASCID
EINN
ETRP
EAIDNI
EFQ
ECOQKPKO
EGPHUM
EBUD
ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ
ENERGY
ELB
EINDETRD
EMI
ECONEFIN
EIB
EURN
ETRDEINVTINTCS
EIN
EFIM
ETIO
ELAINE
EMN
EATO
EWTR
EIPR
EINVETC
ETTD
ETDR
EIQ
ECONCS
EPPD
ENRGIZ
EISL
ESPINOSA
ELEC
EAIG
ESLCO
EUREM
ENTG
ERD
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EEPET
EUNCH
ECINECONCS
ETRO
ETRDECONWTOCS
ECUN
EFND
EPECO
EAIRECONRP
ERGR
ETRDPGOV
ECPN
ENRGMO
EPWR
EET
EAIS
EAGRE
EDUARDO
EAGRRP
EAIDPHUMPRELUG
EICN
ECONQH
EVN
EGHG
ELBR
EINF
EAIDHO
EENV
ETEX
ERNG
ED
FR
FREEDOM
FINREF
FJ
FI
FRELIMO
FOREIGN
FAA
FETHI
FAS
FTAA
FRB
FAO
FCS
FINANCE
FWS
FTA
FEMA
FDA
FLU
FRANCISCO
FBI
FORCE
FO
FARC
FK
FT
FCSC
FAC
FM
FMGT
FINV
FCSCEG
FARM
FERNANDO
FINR
FIN
FINE
FIR
FDIC
FOR
FOI
FCUL
FKLU
FMLN
FISO
FIXED
GM
GMUS
GG
GR
GE
GAZA
GT
GH
GZ
GJ
GLOBAL
GV
GABY
GOI
GA
GCC
GB
GY
GATT
GC
GUAM
GEORGE
GTIP
GOV
GOMEZ
GUTIERREZ
GL
GKGIC
GF
GU
GWI
GARCIA
GTMO
GN
GANGS
GIPNC
GAERC
GREGG
GUILLERMO
GASPAR
GERARD
GI
HK
HR
HUMANR
HUMAN
HO
HA
HUMANRIGHTS
HU
HHS
HIV
HUM
HRKAWC
HILLEN
HILLARY
HDP
HUMRIT
HSTC
HUMANITARIAN
HCOPIL
HADLEY
HURI
HL
HRETRD
HOURANI
HG
HARRIET
HESHAM
HI
HNCHR
HARRY
HRECON
HRC
HOSTAGES
HEBRON
HUMOR
HSWG
HYMPSK
HECTOR
HN
HYDE
HUD
HRPGOV
HIGHLIGHTS
ID
ILC
IS
IZ
ICAO
IMO
ITU
IR
IAEA
ICRC
IPROP
IT
IBRD
ISRAELI
IRAQI
ISSUES
ITRA
IV
IO
IGAD
IRAQ
IN
IMF
ICTR
ISCON
IADB
IDB
IEA
INR
IWC
ICCAT
ILO
INMARSAT
IOM
ICJ
IQ
ISPA
ITRD
IPR
INTELSAT
ISN
IAHRC
INTERNAL
IFAD
IICA
IHO
IRAN
IL
IRCE
IC
INTELLECTUAL
IRM
IE
ICTY
IDLI
IFO
ISCA
INF
INL
ISRAEL
INV
IBB
INFLUENZA
ISPL
ITER
ITIA
INRA
ISAF
IACHR
INTERPOL
IFR
IRS
INRB
IEF
ISAAC
ICC
INDO
IIP
IATTC
INAUGURATION
IND
INS
IZPREL
IACI
IEFIN
INNP
ILAB
IA
IMTS
ITALY
ITALIAN
IFIN
IRAJ
IX
ICG
IF
ITPHUM
ITA
IP
IACW
IK
IUCN
IZEAID
IRPE
IDA
ISLAMISTS
ITF
INRO
IBET
IDP
IRC
ISO
ICES
IRMO
ITPGOV
IQNV
IMSO
IRDB
IMET
INCB
IFRC
JA
JO
JP
JM
JCIC
JOHN
JE
JEFFERY
JS
JUS
JN
JOHNNIE
JAMES
JKUS
JOSEPH
JML
JAWAD
JSRP
JIMENEZ
JOSE
JKJUS
JK
JAPAN
KMDR
KPAO
KPKO
KJUS
KCRM
KGHG
KFRD
KWMN
KDEM
KTFN
KHIV
KGIC
KIDE
KSCA
KNNP
KHUM
KIPR
KSUM
KISL
KIRF
KCOR
KRCM
KPAL
KWBG
KN
KS
KOMC
KSEP
KFLU
KPWR
KTIA
KSEO
KMPI
KHLS
KICC
KSTH
KMCA
KVPR
KPRM
KE
KU
KZ
KFLO
KSAF
KTIP
KTEX
KBCT
KOCI
KOLY
KOR
KAWC
KACT
KUNR
KTDB
KSTC
KLIG
KSKN
KNN
KCFE
KCIP
KGHA
KHDP
KPOW
KUNC
KDRL
KV
KPREL
KCRS
KPOL
KRVC
KRIM
KGIT
KWIR
KT
KIRC
KOMO
KRFD
KUWAIT
KG
KFIN
KSCI
KTFIN
KFTN
KGOV
KPRV
KSAC
KGIV
KCRIM
KPIR
KSOC
KBIO
KW
KGLB
KMWN
KPO
KFSC
KSEAO
KSTCPL
KSI
KPRP
KREC
KFPC
KUNH
KCSA
KMRS
KNDP
KR
KICCPUR
KPPAO
KCSY
KTBT
KCIS
KNEP
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KNNB
KGCC
KINR
KPOP
KMFO
KENV
KNAR
KVIR
KDRG
KDMR
KFCE
KNAO
KDEN
KGCN
KICA
KIMMITT
KMCC
KLFU
KMSG
KSEC
KUM
KCUL
KMNP
KSMT
KCOM
KOMCSG
KSPR
KPMI
KRAD
KIND
KCRP
KAUST
KWAWC
KTER
KCHG
KRDP
KPAS
KITA
KTSC
KPAOPREL
KWGB
KIRP
KJUST
KMIG
KLAB
KTFR
KSEI
KSTT
KAPO
KSTS
KLSO
KWNN
KPOA
KHSA
KNPP
KPAONZ
KBTS
KWWW
KY
KJRE
KPAOKMDRKE
KCRCM
KSCS
KWMNCI
KESO
KWUN
KPLS
KIIP
KEDEM
KPAOY
KRIF
KGICKS
KREF
KTRD
KFRDSOCIRO
KTAO
KJU
KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW
KEN
KO
KNEI
KEMR
KKIV
KEAI
KWAC
KRCIM
KWCI
KFIU
KWIC
KCORR
KOMS
KNNO
KPAI
KBWG
KTTB
KTBD
KTIALG
KILS
KFEM
KTDM
KESS
KNUC
KPA
KOMCCO
KCEM
KRCS
KWBGSY
KNPPIS
KNNPMNUC
KWN
KERG
KLTN
KALM
KCCP
KSUMPHUM
KREL
KGH
KLIP
KTLA
KAWK
KWMM
KVRP
KVRC
KAID
KSLG
KDEMK
KX
KIF
KNPR
KCFC
KFTFN
KTFM
KPDD
KCERS
KMOC
KDEMAF
KMEPI
KEMS
KDRM
KEPREL
KBTR
KEDU
KNP
KIRL
KNNR
KMPT
KISLPINR
KTPN
KA
KJUSTH
KPIN
KDEV
KTDD
KAKA
KFRP
KWNM
KTSD
KINL
KJUSKUNR
KWWMN
KECF
KWBC
KPRO
KVBL
KOM
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KEDM
KFLD
KLPM
KRGY
KNNF
KICR
KIFR
KM
KWMNCS
KAWS
KLAP
KPAK
KDDG
KCGC
KID
KNSD
KMPF
KPFO
KDP
KCMR
KRMS
KNPT
KNNNP
KTIAPARM
KDTB
KNUP
KPGOV
KNAP
KNNC
KUK
KSRE
KREISLER
KIVP
KQ
KTIAEUN
KPALAOIS
KRM
KISLAO
KWM
KFLOA
LE
LU
LH
LA
LG
LO
LY
LANTERN
LI
LABOR
LORAN
LTTE
LT
LAS
LAB
LAW
LVPR
LARREA
LEBIK
LAURA
LS
LOTT
LOVE
LR
LEON
LAVIN
LGAT
LV
LAOS
LOG
LN
LB
MOPS
MO
MARR
ML
MASS
MZ
MR
MNUC
MX
MV
MCC
MY
MEDIA
MTCRE
MG
MCAP
MOPPS
MP
MI
MK
MC
MD
MA
MU
MASC
MW
MT
MEPP
MN
MTCR
MH
MEPI
MIL
MNUCPTEREZ
MMAR
MICHAEL
MUNC
MDC
MPOS
MONUC
MAR
MGMT
MAS
MEPN
MENDIETA
MARIA
MONTENEGRO
MOOPS
MSG
MARITIME
MURRAY
MUKASEY
MOTO
MCA
MFO
MEX
MRSEC
MMED
MACP
MAAR
MINUSTAH
MCCONNELL
MAPP
MGT
MARQUEZ
MANUEL
MNUR
MCCAIN
MF
MOHAMMAD
MOHAMED
MNU
MFA
MILITANTS
MINORITIES
MTS
MLS
MILI
MIAH
MEETINGS
MERCOSUR
MED
MARAD
MNVC
MINURSO
MNUCUN
MIK
MARK
MBM
MPP
MILITARY
MAPS
MNUK
MILA
MTRRE
MACEDONIA
MICHEL
MASSMNUC
MUCN
MQADHAFI
MPS
MARRGH
MRCRE
MTRE
MORALES
MAP
MCTRE
MHUC
MOPSGRPARM
MOROCCO
MCAPS
NL
NU
NS
NI
NPT
NATO
NO
NG
NATEU
NSF
NZ
NAS
NP
NDP
NLD
NGO
NEPAD
NAFTA
NASA
NEA
NGUYEN
NIH
NK
NIPP
NONE
NR
NANCY
NEGROPONTE
NRR
NERG
NSSP
NSG
NSFO
NE
NATSIOS
NFSO
NATIONAL
NTDB
NT
NCD
NTSB
NRC
NELSON
NAM
NH
NPG
NEC
NSC
NFATC
NMFS
NATOIRAQ
NAR
NZUS
NARC
NCCC
NA
NC
NEW
NRG
NUIN
NOVO
NATOPREL
NEY
NV
NICHOLAS
NPA
NW
NARCOTICS
NORAD
NOAA
NON
NTTC
NKNNP
NMNUC
NUMBERING
ODIP
OIIP
OPRC
OSCE
OREP
OTRA
OPET
OSCI
OVIP
OECD
OCII
OUALI
OPDC
OEXC
OFPD
OPIC
OFDP
OPCW
OECV
OAS
OM
OMIG
ODAG
OPREP
ORA
OIC
OEXCSCULKPAO
OIG
OASS
OFFICIALS
ORTA
OSAC
OIL
OIE
OEXP
OPEC
OPDAT
OMS
OES
OHI
OMAR
OCRA
OFSO
OCBD
OSTA
OAO
ONA
OTP
ORC
OAU
OXEC
OA
ODPC
OPDP
OVIPPRELUNGANU
OASC
OSHA
OPCD
OTR
OPPI
OPCR
OF
OFDPQIS
OSIC
OHUM
OSTRA
OASCC
OBSP
OFDA
OPICEAGR
OIM
OGAC
OTA
OTRAORP
OPPC
OESC
OCEA
OVP
ON
OPAD
OTAR
OCS
ODC
OTRD
OCED
OSD
ORUE
OREG
PHUM
PINR
PTER
PGOV
PREL
PREF
PL
PM
PHSA
PE
PARM
PINS
PK
PUNE
PO
PALESTINIAN
PU
PBTS
PROP
PTBS
POL
POLI
PA
PGOVZI
POLMIL
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POLM
PD
POLITICS
POLICY
PAS
PMIL
PINT
PNAT
PV
PKO
PPOL
PERSONS
PING
PBIO
PH
PETR
PARMS
PRES
PCON
PETERS
PRELBR
PT
PLAB
PP
PAK
PDEM
PKPA
PSOCI
PF
PLO
PTERM
PJUS
PSOE
PELOSI
PROPERTY
PGOVPREL
PARP
PRL
PNIR
PHUMKPAL
PG
PREZ
PGIC
PBOV
PAO
PKK
PROV
PHSAK
PHUMPREL
PROTECTION
PGOVBL
PSI
PRELPK
PGOVENRG
PUM
PRELKPKO
PATTY
PSOC
PRIVATIZATION
PRELSP
PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ
PMIG
PREC
PAIGH
PROG
PSHA
PARK
PETER
POG
PHUS
PPREL
PS
PTERPREL
PRELPGOV
POV
PKPO
PGOVECON
POUS
PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN
PWBG
PMAR
PREM
PAR
PNR
PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO
PARMIR
PGOVGM
PHUH
PARTM
PN
PRE
PTE
PY
POLUN
PPEL
PDOV
PGOVSOCI
PIRF
PGOVPM
PBST
PRELEVU
PGOR
PBTSRU
PRM
PRELKPAOIZ
PGVO
PERL
PGOC
PAGR
PMIN
PHUMR
PVIP
PPD
PGV
PRAM
PINL
PKPAL
PTERE
PGOF
PINO
PHAS
PODC
PRHUM
PHUMA
PREO
PPA
PEPFAR
PGO
PRGOV
PAC
PRESL
PORG
PKFK
PEPR
PRELP
PREFA
PNG
PGOVPHUMKPAO
PRELECON
PINOCHET
PFOR
PGOVLO
PHUMBA
PRELC
PREK
PHUME
PHJM
POLINT
PGOVPZ
PGOVKCRM
PGOVE
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PECON
PEACE
PROCESS
PLN
PRELSW
PAHO
PEDRO
PRELA
PASS
PPAO
PGPV
PNUM
PCUL
PGGV
PSA
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PGIV
PRFE
POGOV
PEL
PBT
PAMQ
PINF
PSEPC
POSTS
PHUMPGOV
PVOV
PHSAPREL
PROLIFERATION
PENA
PRELTBIOBA
PIN
PRELL
PGOVPTER
PHAM
PHYTRP
PTEL
PTERPGOV
PHARM
PROTESTS
PRELAF
PKBL
PRELKPAO
PKNP
PARMP
PHUML
PFOV
PERM
PUOS
PRELGOV
PHUMPTER
PARAGRAPH
PERURENA
PBTSEWWT
PCI
PETROL
PINSO
PINSCE
PQL
PEREZ
PBS
RS
REFUGEES
RW
RP
RELFREE
RO
REGIONAL
RIGHTS
REACTION
REPORT
RU
RENAMO
RIGHTSPOLMIL
REFORM
RM
REFUGEE
REL
RELATIONS
ROW
RREL
REGION
RATIFICATION
RBI
RICE
ROOD
RODENAS
RUIZ
RODHAM
ROBERT
RGY
ROY
REUBEN
RELIGIOUS
RUEHZO
RODRIGUEZ
RUEUN
RELAM
RSP
RF
RSO
RCMP
REO
ROSS
RPTS
RENE
REID
RUPREL
RMA
RI
REMON
RPEL
RFE
RFIN
RA
RAFAEL
RAY
RUS
RPREL
ROBERTG
RECIN
RAMONTEIJELO
SNAR
SP
SN
SMIG
SL
SOCI
SU
SG
SF
SENV
SZ
SOE
SCUL
SY
SO
SR
SYR
SE
SA
SW
SIPDIS
SCIENCE
SADC
SI
SCI
SOCIETY
SC
SAARC
STR
SECRETARY
SANC
SSH
ST
SNA
SGWI
SEP
SOCIS
SETTLEMENTS
SPECIALIST
SK
SHUM
START
STET
SCVL
SREF
SCHUL
SCUIL
SYRIA
SECURITY
SPCE
SYAI
SMIL
SOWGC
STEPHEN
SNRV
SKCA
SENSITIVE
SECI
SNAP
SPP
SCUD
SOM
SPECI
SMIGBG
SENC
SCRM
SGNV
SECTOR
SENVEAGREAIDTBIOECONSOCIXR
SENVSXE
SASIAIN
SACU
SENVSPL
SWMN
STEINBERG
SOPN
SOCR
SCOI
SCRS
SILVASANDE
SWE
SARS
SNARIZ
SUDAN
SENVQGR
SM
SNARKTFN
SAAD
SD
SAN
SIPRNET
STATE
SENS
SUBJECT
SFNV
SECSTATE
SSA
SPCVIS
SOI
SOFA
SCULKPAOECONTU
SPTER
SKSAF
SENVKGHG
SHI
SEVN
SANR
SPSTATE
SMITH
SCOM
SH
SNARCS
SNARN
SIPRS
SNARM
SIPDI
SCPR
SNIG
SELAB
SULLIVAN
SENVENV
SECDEF
SOLIC
SOIC
SPAS
SASC
SOSI
SEC
SEN
SENVCASCEAIDID
TU
TH
TW
TSPA
TRGY
TPHY
TBIO
TIFA
TS
TZ
TX
TSPL
TT
TK
TC
TINT
TERFIN
TERRORISM
TIP
TURKEY
TI
TECHNOLOGY
TNGD
TRSY
TRAFFICKING
TOPEC
TPSL
TP
TD
TR
TA
TIO
TREATY
TO
THPY
TECH
TRADE
TPSA
TG
TAGS
TF
TRAD
THKSJA
TVBIO
TNDG
TN
TBIOZK
TWI
TV
TWL
TRT
TWRO
TSRY
TTPGOV
TAUSCHER
TRBY
TRBIO
TL
TPKO
TIA
TGRY
TSPAM
TREL
TNAR
TBI
TFIN
TPHYPA
TWCH
THOMMA
THOMAS
TERROR
TRY
TBID
TPP
TE
THANH
TJ
TBKIO
UNGA
USUN
UN
UG
UNSC
UK
UP
US
UNCTAD
UNVIE
UNHRC
USTR
UNAMA
UNCRIME
UNESCO
UV
UNDP
UNHCR
UNCSD
UNCHR
UZ
USAID
UNEP
UNO
UNPUOS
UY
UNDC
UNCITRAL
UNAUS
UNCND
UA
UNMIK
USTDA
USEU
USDA
UNICEF
UR
UNFICYP
USNC
USTRRP
UNODC
UNRWA
UNOMIG
USTRPS
USAU
USCC
UNEF
UNGAPL
UNFPA
UNSCE
USSC
UGA
UEU
UNMIC
UNTAC
UNION
UNCLASSIFIED
USPS
UNA
UMIK
USOAS
UNMOVIC
UNFA
UNAIDS
UNCHC
USGS
UNSE
UNRCR
UNTERR
USG
UE
UAE
UNWRA
UNCSW
UNSCR
UNCHS
UNDESCO
UNPAR
UNC
UB
UNSCS
UKXG
UNGACG
UNREST
UNHR
USPTO
UNFCYP
USCG
UNIDROIT
UNSCD
UPU
UNBRO
UNECE
USTRUWR
UNCC
UNESCOSCULPRELPHUMKPALCUIRXFVEKV
VM
VE
VT
VETTING
VN
VZ
VIS
VC
VTPREL
VIP
VTEAID
VTEG
VOA
VA
VTIZ
VANG
VISIT
VO
VENZ
VAT
VI
VEPREL
VEN
WFP
WTO
WHO
WTRO
WBG
WMO
WIPO
WA
WI
WSIS
WHA
WCL
WE
WMN
WEBZ
WS
WAR
WZ
WMD
WW
WILLIAM
WEET
WAEMU
WM
WWBG
WWT
WWARD
WITH
WMDT
WTRQ
WCO
WEU
WALTER
WRTO
WB
WHTI
WBEG
WCI
WEF
WAKI
WHOA
WGC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08PRETORIA2404, South Africa: Minerals and Energy Newsletter "THE ASSAY" -
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.
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. #08PRETORIA2404.
| Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08PRETORIA2404 | 2008-11-03 12:24 | 2011-08-24 01:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Pretoria |
VZCZCXRO2393
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #2404/01 3081224
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031224Z NOV 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6262
INFO RUCPDC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0875
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0751
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1627
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0886
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1463
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0717
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 PRETORIA 002404
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID
STATE PLEASE PASS USGS
DEPT FOR AF/S, EEB/ESC AND CBA
DOE FOR SPERL AND PERSON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET ENRG EMIN EINV EIND ETRD ELAB KHIV SF
SUBJECT: South Africa: Minerals and Energy Newsletter "THE ASSAY" -
Issue 11, September 16-30, 2008
PRETORIA 00002404 001.2 OF 006
This cable is not for Internet distribution.
¶1. (SBU) Introduction: The purpose of this newsletter, initiated in
January 2004, is to highlight minerals and energy developments in
South Africa. This includes trade and investment as well as supply.
South Africa hosts world-class deposits of gold, diamonds, platinum
group metals, chromium, zinc, titanium, vanadium, iron, manganese,
antimony, vermiculite, zircon, alumino-silicates, fluorspar and
phosphate rock, and is a major exporter of steam coal. South Africa
is also a leading producer and exporter of ferroalloys of chromium,
vanadium, and manganese. The information contained in the
newsletters is based on public sources and does not reflect the
views of the United States Government. End introduction.
--------
HOT NEWS
--------
--------------------------------
ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards
--------------------------------
¶2. (SBU) Some 400 delegates from South Africa's potential nuclear
supplier and service industries attended the ASME (American Society
of Mechanical Engineers) Nuclear Codes and Standards workshop held
in Johannesburg from October 7-9. The program included a technical
tour to Columbus Stainless, Africa's only stainless steel plant (see
below). ASME is a U.S.-based, independent organization that sets
globally-recognized performance, testing, safety and numerous other
standards and codes for engineering structures and components,
including nuclear. The purpose of the workshop was to explain and
promote ASME standards as a means for potential South African
nuclear industry suppliers to join the global supply chain, thereby
indirectly supporting Westinghouse's bid for new nuclear build in
South Africa. The workshop covered most aspects of the requirements
for certification of South Africa's developing Pebble Bed Modular
Reactor power plant, and for components used in nuclear plants that
may also be exported. The workshop was the joint initiative of ASME
and the U.S. Commercial Service based in Johannesburg.
----------------------------------------
End of Commodity Super Cycle - Or Is It?
----------------------------------------
¶3. (SBU) South Africa is a major producer of both precious and
industrial-use metals and minerals, which
in raw and processed form account for some 17-18% of GDP and more
than 50% of exports. The current global credit market turmoil and
the collapse of demand and prices for commodities have had a major
impact on producers, particularly those in emerging countries. The
global commodity price index for 19 raw materials has fallen by 43%
(equivalent to a loss of value of $281 billion at current production
levels) since it peaked in July 2008. This is more than the total
worth of the raw materials two years ago, according to the
Reuters/Jefferies CRB commodity price index. South Africa's major
commodity prices have fallen since July 2008 by: PGMs 67%, gold 26%,
ferro-alloys 12%, copper 52%, nickel 80%, lead 67%, stainless steel
36%, uranium 78%, vanadium 28%, iron ore 10%, and aluminum 36%.
Q36%, uranium 78%, vanadium 28%, iron ore 10%, and aluminum 36%.
Coal, diamonds, zircon, manganese ore, and titanium have generally
retained or increased their value. To add to South Africa's woes,
the rand/dollar exchange rate and the Johannesburg Security Exchange
(JSE) have both weakened by 40% since July/August, which raises the
specter of further inflation and interest rate increases, above the
respective current 13.0% and 15.5%. The good news is that crude oil
has fallen in price by nearly 60% and the refined products by some
13% at the pumps.
--------------------------------------
PetroSA's 400,000 Barrels/Day Refinery
--------------------------------------
¶4. (SBU) South Africa's National oil company PetroSA announced on
October 2 that it had received a manufacturing license for its
planned $5 billion, 400,000-bbl/d crude oil refinery. The Mthombo
refinery will be constructed in the Coega industrial development
zone (IDZ), located east of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape
Province, and will probably include a new fuel products pipeline to
PRETORIA 00002404 002 OF 006
Johannesburg. PetroSA CEO and President Sipho Mkhize said the
refinery would ease the country's current and projected fuel
shortage and was of strategic importance to economic development.
PetroSA previously announced its intention to dedicate the new
refinery for Venezuelan heavy oil (hoping for equity participation
from Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA). Construction is expected
to start in 2010 and the refinery is scheduled to come on stream in
¶2014. The refinery would be the biggest in Africa and would create
about 25,000 direct and indirect jobs. Comment: This refinery would
take the place of the Alcan-Rio Tinto aluminum refinery which would
have been the anchor project for the IDZ and was placed on hold as a
result of the January power crisis. The PetroSA refinery also
provides additional energy resources to the energy-starved country,
rather than consuming it. End Comment.
¶5. (SBU) Neither the SAG nor the SA Petroleum Industry Association
(SAPIA) envisaged the need for more refining capacity prior to the
start of South Africa's economic growth spurt in 2003. Economic
growth has since outpaced fuel demand, refined fuel products have
now to be imported, and pipeline and road infrastructure is under
strain to move ever-greater volumes of refined products.
State-owned Transnet Pipelines is building a new pipeline from
Durban to Johannesburg and the private sector is planning one from
Maputo in Mozambique to Secunda in Mpumalanga to relieve the
transport problem. All of South Africa's refineries are old, are
surrounded by residential suburbs, and increasingly have to
implement costly retrofits to comply with new fuel quality and
environmental standards. Some have become uncompetitive, and the
private sector appears reluctant to build a new, state-of-the-art
refinery. (Comment. Critics opine that output from this new
refinery would far exceed South Africa's projected requirements and
could make existing refineries obsolete. The SAG's response is that
excess fuel will be exported to neighboring states. Other critics
note that state control of refined product prices has led to the
private sector's unwillingness to invest in additional refinery
capacity and the current domestic refined product shortage in the
same way that state control of electricity prices has led to the
private sector's unwillingness to participate in public private
partnerships to produce electric power and the current power
shortage. End Comment.)
----------------------------------------
State-owned Mining Company Contradiction
----------------------------------------
¶6. (SBU) Minerals and Energy Ministry spokesperson Sputnik Ratau
said at South Africa's Mining Summit on September 29 that there was
no plan "at the moment" to create a state-owned mining company.
Such a state mining company was proposed by the National Union of
Mineworkers (NUM). Ratau emphasized it was not government policy to
establish and control mines. Nevertheless, Department of Minerals
and Energy DDG Jacinto Rocha said at the Gordon Institute of
QBusiness Science (GIBS) mining panel discussion on October 8 that
the state intended to become involved in mining. He said a decision
had been taken to re-activate a pre-existing state-owned mining
company, but stressed there would be no wholesale nationalization of
mines. Rocha said the alternatives for the state were direct
involvement as a miner or indirect involvement as a shareholder,
particularly in platinum sector opportunities. Besides platinum,
the state would also consider opportunities in gold, uranium and
other strategic minerals.
¶7. (SBU) Rocha pointed out that the state had long been involved in
mineral ventures, including Alexkor diamonds and Foskor phosphate
mining, and it had established the national oil company PetroSA out
of other state-owned companies Soekor (petroleum and gas
exploration) and Mossgas (gas-to-liquid conversion). The state had
also established enterprises such as Iscor Steel (now MittalAcelor),
Columbus Stainless, and Sasol (coal-to-liquids), all of which had
since been privatized. He said the issue was not whether mining
companies were state-owned or privately owned, but whether they had
quality mining expertise and management. Rocha also referred to
neighboring Botswana and Namibia, where 50/50 joint ventures had
been established between the respective governments and De Beers in
the form of Debswana and Namdeb.
PRETORIA 00002404 003 OF 006
------
ENERGY
------
-----------------------------------
Proposed Energy Conservation Scheme
-----------------------------------
¶8. (SBU) Eskom spokesperson Corrie Visagie announced that the
state-owned power utility hoped to implement its energy conservation
scheme (ECS) during the first quarter of 2009. The plan would set
out how much power users could consume over a 12-month period and
would levy considerably higher tariffs for consumption above this
amount. Although not fully finalized, Eskom has indicated that the
conservation rates would apply to customers using more than 100 MWh
per year or a maximum demand greater than 25 MW. Each customer
would be given an energy allocation based on the consumption during
the period October 2006 to September 2007, or before load-shedding
came into effect. The required savings for each customer class,
envisaged to reduce overall demand by 3,000 MW, is 8% for
agriculture; 10% for industry; 20% for the commercial sector; 20%
for the residential sector; and 25% for government and State-owned
enterprises.
¶9. (SBU) Visagie said Eskom would set rules to provide for changes
that may have taken place after the base period. Major mining
companies, which were already subject to a 5-10% cut, would be
exempt from further cuts. Visagie said the benefit of the
allocation was that the end-user would have the flexibility to use
energy as he/she sees fit. He said normal tariffs would apply for
the allotted energy used, but increased and punitive tariffs would
apply in cases where the end-user exceeded the allotted amount.
Visagie also warned that Eskom would be forced to revert to
load-shedding if the energy conservation scheme is not implemented.
------------------------------------------
China's CTL Project with SASOL Progressing
------------------------------------------
¶10. (SBU) China's Shenua Ningxia Coal Industry Group and South
African partner Sasol announced they had signed a contract on
October 22 with Foster Wheeler International Corporation and Wuhuan
Engineering Company to carry out a feasibility study for an 80,000
barrel per day coal to liquids (CTL) plant. The plant is to be
located at the Ningdong Chemicals Base in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous
Region of China. The Ningdong industrial region already has an
extensive infrastructural and industrial base, including power and
water supply, roads, rail, housing, and maintenance facilities. The
plant site is adjacent to huge coal reserves. The decision to
proceed with the feasibility study followed an announcement by the
National Reform and Development Commission of China that the
Ningxia/Sasol CTL project would continue, despite recent cut-backs
on other proposed CTL plans. China is seeking ways to meet its
increasing demand for environmentally friendly fuels and the CTL
route is seen as a promising option.
---------------------------------------
Government Change Clouds Eskom Projects
---------------------------------------
¶11. (SBU) Recent changes at the Department of Public Enterprise
(DPE), which runs state-owned power utility Eskom, may delay
Q(DPE), which runs state-owned power utility Eskom, may delay
projects to expand electricity generation and mitigate the country's
power shortage. New South African President Kgalema Motlanthe named
former Department of Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla as the new
DPE Minister at the end of September. Analysts said Mabandla will
have to get to grips with plans to build a number of new power
stations and help Eskom raise cash internationally in the midst of a
global credit squeeze. Her term will last six-eight months before
the scheduled general elections, which leaves little time for
meaningful changes and the possibility that she will be displaced
after the April/May 2009 elections. One of Mabandla's key tasks
will be to approve the expansions mooted for power generation,
including the new nuclear power plants being contested by
Westinghouse and Areva of France. The nuclear decision has been
postponed on two occasions this year, but Eskom officials say that
PRETORIA 00002404 004 OF 006
the decision will still be made before year-end. Analysts do not
expect Mabandla to radically change the current policy.
¶12. (SBU) Meanwhile, the electricity reserve margin remains
alarmingly low as Eskom starts its summer maintenance program and
Eskom's spokesman has affirmed that electricity supplies remain at
risk. Energy savings were instituted following the January power
crisis and there have been no significant power disruptions during
and since the (southern hemisphere) winter months. Consumers have
assumed a false sense of security because of this and the Department
of Minerals and Energy has warned that South Africa is "not out of
the woods yet," as far as electricity supply is concerned. Eskom
has started its summer maintenance season and has shut down some
units, so far without incident.
----
GOLD
----
-------------------------------------
Mars Bacteria Found in Deep Gold Mine
-------------------------------------
¶13. (SBU) A team of scientists has discovered a strange breed of
bacteria living in a deep gold mine in South Africa. The
rod-shaped microbe, dubbed Desulforudis audaxviator (see picture in
e-mail version), can survive in complete darkness, without oxygen,
in temperatures around 600C, as long as it has a trickle of water
flowing through radioactive rocks. The bacteria derives energy from
the radioactive decay of uranium in surrounding rocks and gets
carbon and nitrogen, two of the building blocks of life, either from
dissolved gases or by cannibalizing other bacteria. The bacteria
was found living under such conditions in a 2.8 kilometer-deep gold
mine in South Africa. These mines contain gold, uranium, fossilized
carbon material, and moisture. "I would guess that an organism like
this would be ideally suited for the Martian subsurface," said
Princeton University microbiologist Doctor Onstott, one of the
microbe's discoverers. D. audaxviator takes its species name from
the Jules Verne classic "Journey to the Center of the Earth". The
research is significant as it shows the resilience of life on
earth's most extreme frontiers, but also because of the implications
for finding life elsewhere in the universe, said NASA's Astrobiology
Institute Director Carl Pilcher.
---------------
STAINLESS STEEL
---------------
---------------------------------------
Stainless Steel and Nuclear Power in SA
---------------------------------------
¶14. (SBU) Stainless steel has unique properties that make it an
important material in the construction of nuclear plants and
structures in corrosive environments. Columbus Stainless Ltd is
South Africa's and Africa's only stainless steel producer and is a
fully integrated, high-tech facility. The facility is 76% owned by
the Spanish stainless steel giant Acerinox S.A., which produces some
11% of the world's stainless steel output. Columbus hopes to
provide its steel for a fleet of conventional pressurized water
reactors (PWR) and up to 25 locally-developed Pebble Bed Modular
Reactors (PBMR) mooted for South Africa over the next 25 years.
QReactors (PBMR) mooted for South Africa over the next 25 years.
Columbus also plans to export nuclear plant components, but will
need ASME accreditation if selling to the U.S. market. Columbus has
the capacity to produce 1 million tons per year of stainless steel,
including 600,000 tons of value-added cold-rolled steel. At the
time of the ASME-group visit, it was operating at 30-40% of capacity
due to the drop-off in export orders, particularly from China and
Asia, resulting from the current global financial turmoil. Columbus
exports nearly 80% of its production and is looking to increase
sales in the local and African markets.
------
MINING
------
PRETORIA 00002404 005 OF 006
----------------------------
Mining Industry Needs Skills
----------------------------
¶15. (SBU) South Africa is not alone in facing the skills shortage
afflicting the global mining industry, which has been in growth mode
since about 2002. The current global financial turmoil may slow or
postpone some projects, but industry fundamentals still look good
for the medium-term as China, India and Asia may be able to sustain
their industrial growth. Growth requires mines and metals, but the
lack of qualified, experienced engineers and miners is likely to be
a major constraint to supply. The shortage of skills in the mining
industry is so acute, according to a report by Ernst & Young (E&Y),
that it is likely to persist even if 5%-10% of new projects are
halted.
¶16. (SBU) The skills shortage is serious in all countries, according
to the E&Y report, with Canada and Australia each estimated to need
an additional 70,000 to 80,000 workers over the next decade. E&Y
says the largest contributing factor to the labor shortage in South
Africa is the HIV/AIDS epidemic, followed by the emigration of
skills to developed countries. Estimates are that a third of South
African engineering graduates have emigrated over the past 40 years.
Shortages have pushed up salaries and forced mining CEOs to adopt
innovative methods of recruiting, training, and retaining skills.
Recruiters have to overcome the perception of mining as a
"stone-age" career with issues of health and safety, working in
remote areas, and mining as a sunset industry, instead of as a
modern, technologically innovative sunrise industry. World leader
in coal-to-liquid (CTL) technology Sasol recently announced that
they would provide an annual contribution of $3 million to South
African academia to develop world-class science and engineering
graduates, retain and attract talented academics to teach at
universities, and grow the engineering profession. This investment
is part of a $30 million ten-year commitment.
-------------------------------------------
The Fittest to Survive in the Mining Sector
-------------------------------------------
¶17. (SBU) The global financial turmoil could see the end for a
number of junior miners, but also presents the majors with
attractive buy-in opportunities to profit from the situation,
according to the Chief Executive Officer of U.S. mining company
Freeport McMoran. Analysts estimate some 50% of junior miners could
be out of buiness in a year's time. The fittest companies will be
well-placed to acquire properties at bargain prices and to profit as
the commodity cycle turns and demand for minerals resurfaces, which
is estimated to occur in mid-2009 (others say 2010/11). Currently,
all mining share and mineral price indices have suffered, with some
shares down by as much as 80%. At the same time, the combination of
rising capital costs for new projects and mining input costs
increasing by more than 20% per year is putting further stain on
under-funded juniors.
---------------------------------------
Platinum Mining Takes the Hardest Knock
QPlatinum Mining Takes the Hardest Knock
---------------------------------------
¶18. (SBU) The platinum group metals (PGMs) basket price for
platinum, palladium and rhodium is down by 55-68% (from $2,470 to
$750 per ounce), or by some 40% in rand terms as the currency has
weakened by 40% over the past few weeks. A Cadiz mining analysis
said that new capital expenditure on PGM mines could only be
justified if prices rise by 20% to 40% ($1,100-1,200 per ounce)
above current levels. African Rainbow Minerals platinum division
CEO Steve Mashalane said that 15 out of 27 PGM projects, mainly on
the Eastern and Northern Bushveld Complex, are unlikely to go into
production at current PGM prices.
¶19. (SBU) The collapse of PGM prices has placed many South African
platinum mines in "survival mode", said a PGM analyst, and cuts to
production and capital expenditure have become necessary. He said
platinum production is largely unresponsive to price until it drops
below a certain level, and thereafter it declines as lower-grade
PRETORIA 00002404 006 OF 006
sections are closed and expansions are curtailed. The analyst
believes that once the platinum price drops below $1,100 per ounce
(it was $790 per ounce on October 24) there is hardly any growth
potential left above the current base production of 5 million ounces
per year. However, deep, hard-rock mining is not as responsive to
price changes in the short-term because of outstanding capital
commitments and large labor forces that can not easily or desirably
be retrenched every time metal price volatility results in low metal
prices.
-----------------------------------------
To Save Sterkfontein from Acid Mine Water
-----------------------------------------
¶20. (SBU) Watermark Global has selected the CSIR's (Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research) alkaline barium and calcium
(ABC) process as the best technical and commercial solution for
treating gold mine acid mine drainage (AMD) water. A
pre-feasibility study on the viability of treating AMD water from
the West Rand Witwatersrand Basin is currently being finalized. A
five-month pilot-scale operation has shown that the CSIR technology
meets the South African National Accreditation System standards for
industrial quality and potable water. Phase one of the project
would involve the construction of a commercial-size plant to treat
75 mega-liters of AMD water per day for industrial and/or domestic
consumption. The project is aimed at reducing the toxicity of water
flowing from defunct mines on the West Rand that threatens to flow
into the Cradle of Mankind World Heritage Site, including the
Sterkfontein and other caves which host evolutionary human and
humanoid fossils. The caves are composed of dolomite and could be
severely damaged by acid waters.
--------
DIAMONDS
--------
----------------------------------
State Diamond Trader Seeks New CEO
----------------------------------
¶21. (SBU) The South African State Diamond Trader (SDT) CEO Abbey
Chikane's contract has not been renewed and no replacement has yet
been named. This follows the Trader's inability to supply
sufficient stones to the local small diamond-cutting industry, which
has seen the industry shed nearly 40% of its jobs over the past 18
months. An SDT spokesperson said the business of procuring rough
diamonds was continuing as usual. The SDT was established to buy
10% of the country's diamond production for sale to local small
cutters and polishers, in an attempt to boost local beneficiation
and create jobs, but has fallen short of meeting these objectives.
SDT management say they are awaiting approval from National Treasury
to increase its borrowing power, from the current $4.5 million to
$12.5 million per cycle, to enable it to purchase more rough stones.
There is currently some uncertainty as to how the organisation will
continue to operate.
LALIME