Obama tells Persily he’s backing Alaska gas line effort

In a letter delivered by Larry Persily, the federal pipeline coordinator, to the 6th Annual Alaska Oil and Gas Congress on Sept. 28, President Barack Obama applauded those in the Alaska oil and gas business who are "working hard to find answers to America's energy needs."

"In addition to energy security, the pipeline would provide short and long-term economic benefits far beyond the tens of thousands of construction jobs it would create," Obama wrote. "The Nation's electrical utilities, manufacturers, businesses and homeowners will all live better with affordable, domestic natural gas supplies. Energy is an essential part of America's economic stability and that is where the gas line comes into play, bringing more than $10 billion worth of domestic natural gas a year to the Lower 48 states at projected future prices."

Obama tells Persily he’s backing Alaska gas line effort

In a letter delivered by Larry Persily, the federal pipeline coordinator, to the 6th Annual Alaska Oil and Gas Congress on Sept. 28, President Barack Obama applauded those in the Alaska oil and gas business who are "working hard to find answers to America's energy needs."

"In addition to energy security, the pipeline would provide short and long-term economic benefits far beyond the tens of thousands of construction jobs it would create," Obama wrote. "The Nation's electrical utilities, manufacturers, businesses and homeowners will all live better with affordable, domestic natural gas supplies. Energy is an essential part of America's economic stability and that is where the gas line comes into play, bringing more than $10 billion worth of domestic natural gas a year to the Lower 48 states at projected future prices."

Obama to back Alaska's effort to build gas line from North Slope

JUNEAU, Alaska - President Barack Obama plans to boost the effort to develop Alaska's natural gas resources into the executive office of the White House, according to Alaska legislators who visited Washington to discuss energy issues with other legislators.
Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, has nominated legislative aide Larry Persily for the Obama appointment as federal coordinator for Alaska development. Persily has support from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, as well.
He is now awaiting confirmation by the Senate, after having been approved by the Senate Energy Committee.
Senate Majority Leader Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, said a top Obama administration official, former Alaskan Pete Rouse, told Alaska legislators in Washington that Obama would be more than just verbally supporting the Alaska natural gas pipeline.
"Mr. Rouse said the president was planning to elevate the Alaska gas line coordinator's office effort into the executive office of the president once Mr. Persily is in place and is official," he said.
After returning from Washington, Ellis told colleagues on the Senate floor on March 8 that Persily was likely to win confirmation and be well-placed to give Alaska's views on the gas pipeline.
Rep. Berta Gardner, D-Anchorage, said the message she and others received from the Energy Council meetings was that Obama would raise the coordinator's profile.
"They want to boost his position, get him access to an executive committee on energy issues," she said.

Turkish PM says U.S. vote on genocide to "greatly harm" ties

WASHINGTON - A U.S. resolution that branded as genocide the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War One will seriously damage U.S.-Turkish relations, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on March 6.
NATO member Turkey, an ally crucial to U.S. interests in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East, has expressed its outrage at the March 4 non-binding vote in the Foreign Affairs committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and recalled its envoy to the United States for consultations.
"The decision of the Foreign Affairs Committee will not hurt Turkey, but it will greatly harm bilateral relations, interests and vision. Turkey will not be the one who loses," said Erdogan, speaking at a summit of Turkish businessmen.
The Obama administration made a last-minute appeal against the resolution and has vowed to stop the vote, which was broadcast live on Turkish television, from going further in Congress.
Turkey, a vital location for oil and gas pipelines between East and West, including the U.S.-backed Nabucco Pipeline bypassing Russia, has said the resolution could jeopardize a fragile drive by Turkey and Armenia to end a century of hostilities and lead to further instability in the south Caucasus, a region crisscrossed by oil and gas pipelines to Europe.
Turkey's ambassador to the United States told journalists upon his return on Saturday it was unclear when he would head back to Washington following his talks with the president, prime minister and foreign minister.
"I will return when the time is right ... We will have to wait and see," Namik Tan said. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted in a media report as saying that the consultations could last "a long time."
The resolution urges Obama to use the term "genocide" when he delivers his annual message on the Armenian massacres in April.
Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks but denies that up to 1.5 million died and that it amounted to genocide - a term employed by many Western historians and some foreign parliaments.