Jumat, 08 April 2011
Dollar Pacu Penguatan Emas
Emas kembali cetak rekor akibat lemahnya dollar dan kekhawatiran inflasi yang mendorong investor untuk berburu logam mulia. Kepemilikan Emas catatkan kenaikan tertinggi sejak pertengahan Maret seiring melonjaknya harga minyak dan komoditas lainnya terus menambah ancaman inflasi. Investor juga melihat berlanjutnya pelemahan dollar setelah Sentral Eropa naikkan suku bunga untuk pertama kali sejak 2008. "Koreksi emas akan berlangsung pendek; ada permintaan investasi yang menahan penurunan harga emas. Level $1500 mungkin akan tercapai dalam beberapa sesi mendatang," papar Pradeep Unni, analis Richcomm Global Services. Kepemilikan SPDR Gold Trust, ETF berbasis emas terbesar dunia, naik menjadi 1,217.209 ton per 7 April, tertinggi sejak pertengahan Maret. "Pelemahan dollar mendorong aksi beli emas sebagai aset safe haven di tengah gejolak Afrika Utara, Timur-Tengah, krisis utang Eropa, dan gempa Jepang," ungkap Ronald Leung, Direktur Lee Cheong Gold Dealers. Analis teknikal Reuters Wang Tao optimis harga emas raih $1477 berdasarkan pola wave dan proyeksi fibonacci.
Gold Up
Emas bertengger di level tertinggi di 1467.30 hari Jumat. Minyak di level tinggi 2-1/2 tahun di 111.45. Melambungnya harga komoditi dikarenakan pelemahan dollar dan optimisme pemulihan ekonomi global yang dapat menaikkan prospek permintaan meski pasokan terganggu dan mendorong harga serta memicu inflasi.
Indeks dari 19 saham komoditi melesat hampir 0.3% menjadi 364.48 di hari Kamis. Gejolak yang terjadi di Timur Tengah dan terhentinya ekpor minyak dari Libya serta kondisi ekonomi makro diantaranya Portugal yang mengharapkan bantuan dari Uni Eropa dan juga kehancuran yang disebabkan oleh gempa bumi, tsunami di Jepang serta reli saham komoditi.
Sterling Today
GBPUSD cenderung terkonsolidasi di kisaran 1.6255 hingga 1.6360 pada sesi perdangan kemarin. Saat ini GBPUSD tengah menguji area resistance di kisaran 1.6390. Pecahnya level resistance tersebut membuka peluang terjadinya penguatan lanjutan menuju area 1.6426. Sebaliknya waspadai pula potensi koreksi menuju area trendline hingga area support di kisaran 1.6258.
Euro Today
EURUSD kembali menguat di awal sesi perdagangan hari ini. EURUSD telah menembus area reistance sebelumnya di kisaran 1.4370. Pecahnya level resistance tersebut membuka peluang penguatan ke area 1.4440. Sebaliknya waspadai terjadinya koreksi menuju area support dikisaran 1.4295 jika resistance mampu bertahan. Potensi koreksi juga terlihat oleh kondisi CCI dan juga Stochastic yang saat ini telah berada dalam area overbought.
Hangseng Today
Secara teknikal bias indeks Hang Seng masih bullish setidaknya menuju resisten kunci pada 24460-24500. Seperti terlihat pada grafik berikut, Hang Seng masih berada dalam fase koreksi bearish kembali ke area 24360. Break ke bawah area ini akan menjadi ancaman bagi outlook bullish saat ini untuk menuju target 24240 sebagai support selanjutnya hingga ke psikologis 24000.
Resistance Level : 24500, 24600, 24800
Support Level : 24360, 2240, 24000
Trading Range : 24240 – 24600
Gold berdiri tinggi
Emas terus menunjukkan tren naiknya selama 2 tahun belakangan ini. Dari awal tahun 2011, harga emas telah naik sekitar 10% ke level tertingginya di 1461.90.
Ada beberapa faktor yang mempengaruhi penguatan emas saat ini yaitu:
1. Tekanan inflasi. China yang kembali menaikan suku bunga 25 basis poin pada hari Selasa lalu menimbulkan ekspektasi adanya tekanan inflasi yang tinggi pada perekonomian dunia.
2. Ketidakpastian pemulihan ekonomi. Krisis hutang di Eropa dimana lembaga pemeringkat hutang beberapa minggu belakangan dalam waktu yang tidak terlalu jauh rajin menurunkan peringkat hutang 3 negara zona euro seperti Spanyol, Yunani dan Portugal. Ini menimbulkan kekhawatiran pasar akan ketidakpastian pemulihan ekonomi di Eropa sehingga banyak investor yang lari ke safe haven.
3. Dollar yang melemah. Ada beberapa faktor pelemahan dollar antara lain potensi kenaikan suku bunga ECB Kamis ini dan pernyataan Bernanke yang mengatakan bahwa inflasi di AS tidak serta merta naik dan akan tetap menyelesaikan program stimulus 600 miliar dollarnya hingga Juni 2011.
Dengan demikian momentum kenaikan emas akan tetap terpelihara. Hanya saja kita perlu mewaspadai aksi korektif emas yang disebabkan oleh aksi profit taking karena emas telah mencapai level tingginya.
Support terdekat XAUUSD berada di kisaran $1450.00 per troy ons.
Kamis, 07 April 2011
Emas Bertengger di Kisaran Tinggi
Emas bertengger dekat level tinggi di hari Kamis menjelang kenaikan suku bunga zona Eropa, sementara perak bergerak tipis setelah sempat melesat ke level tertinggi dalam lebih dari tiga dekade di sesi sebelumnya akibat kekhawatiran inflasi.
Spot emas turun 31 sen menjadi $1456.69 per ons, setelah meroket ke $1,461.91 di hari Rabu terkait pelemahan dollar AS ke level rendah 14 bulan terhadap euro. Spot perak di $39.37 per ons, di level puncak 31 tahun di $39.75. Kontrak emas bulan Juni bergerak di kisaran $1.457.7 per ons.
Bank Sentral Eropa diperkirakan akan menaikkan suku bunga dari level rendah 1.0% di hari Kamis.
Minat Safe Haven Giring Emas ke Rekor Baru
Emas berjangka menyentuh rekor tertinggi baru dan Perak mencapai titik tertinggi 31-tahun seiring dengan minat para investor ke safe haven meningkat setelah China menaikkan suku bunganya untuk menekan inflasi.
Berdasarkan studi teknikal, new high baru pada emas, kembali mengindikasikan area jenuh beli (overbought), targer Fibonacci Projection berikutnya terletak di 1,464.75. Resisten kunci pada level tertinggi bulan Maret telah ditembus, MACD masih mengindikasikan uptrend, maka Emas masih berpotensi melanjutkan kenaikan setelah lepas dari pola konsolidasi sejak triwulan terakhir 2010. Support terdekat di area 1410.10, jika anjlok dibawah area tersebut dapat membawa koreksi harga ke area 1380.70. Namun secara keseluruhan skenario bullish masih lebih kuat untuk mengincar target psikologis berikutnya di level 1,500 untuk jangka menengah panjang.
Terpantau hari ini kontrak Emas untuk pengantaran bulan April diperdagangkan turun tipis -$0.22, di level 1,461.85.
Kecemasan para pelaku pasar setelah pemangkasan rating utang obligasi Portugal oleh Moody’s juga menopang kenaikan emas akibat kekhawatiran lemahnya pemulihan ekonomi global. Apalagi ditambah konflik di Libya, yang telah mengurangi produksi minyak mentah berkualitas dari kawasan tersebut sebesar 1.3 juta barrel per hari.
Maka dapat ditarik kesimpulan tiga faktor utama penopang Emas untuk sementara ini adalah, ketidakpastian konflik di Libya dan Timur Tengah, fokus situasi utang sovereign di Eropa yang baru, serta kenaikan harga minyak yang memicu kenaikan inflasi global.
Rabu, 06 April 2011
Minat Safe Haven Giring Emas ke Rekor Baru
Emas berjangka menyentuh rekor tertinggi baru dan Perak mencapai titik tertinggi 31-tahun seiring dengan minat para investor ke safe haven meningkat setelah China menaikkan suku bunganya untuk menekan inflasi.
Berdasarkan studi teknikal, new high baru pada emas, kembali mengindikasikan area jenuh beli (overbought), targer Fibonacci Projection berikutnya terletak di 1,464.75. Resisten kunci pada level tertinggi bulan Maret telah ditembus, MACD masih mengindikasikan uptrend, maka Emas masih berpotensi melanjutkan kenaikan setelah lepas dari pola konsolidasi sejak triwulan terakhir 2010. Support terdekat di area 1410.10, jika anjlok dibawah area tersebut dapat membawa koreksi harga ke area 1380.70. Namun secara keseluruhan skenario bullish masih lebih kuat untuk mengincar target psikologis berikutnya di level 1,500 untuk jangka menengah panjang.
Terpantau hari ini kontrak Emas untuk pengantaran bulan April diperdagangkan turun tipis -$0.22, di level 1,455.25.
Kecemasan para pelaku pasar setelah pemangkasan rating utang obligasi Portugal oleh Moody’s juga menopang kenaikan emas akibat kekhawatiran lemahnya pemulihan ekonomi global. Apalagi ditambah konflik di Libya, yang telah mengurangi produksi minyak mentah berkualitas dari kawasan tersebut sebesar 1.3 juta barrel per hari.
Maka dapat ditarik kesimpulan tiga faktor utama penopang Emas untuk sementara ini adalah, ketidakpastian konflik di Libya dan Timur Tengah, fokus situasi utang sovereign di Eropa yang baru, serta kenaikan harga minyak yang memicu kenaikan inflasi global.
Gold today : Waspadai Resisten Emas 1457
Harga emas kembali melambung hingga berhasil mencetak rekor tertinggi baru dikisaran 1457.00. Saat ini emas diperdagangkan dikisaran 1455.80 dan menguji area resistance pada level 1457.00. Pecahnya level resistance tersebut membuka peluang terjadinya penguatan lanjutan menuju area 1467.48. Sebaliknya kondisi CCI dan juga Stochastic yang telah berada dalam area overbought memungkinkan adanya koreksi menuju area 1446.52 hingga 1440.04 jika resistance tersebut mampu bertahan.
Sterling Today : Uji Area 1.6395
Cable terus terapresiasi dalam beberapa hari terakhir dan saat ini pergerakan Cable tengah menguji area 1.63958 yang juga merupakan area resistance. Secara teknikal merujuk pada pergerakan CCI dan juga Stochastic yang saat ini telah berada dalam area overbought, pergerakan Cable berpotensi terkoreksi menuju area 1.62794 hingga 1.62143 jika area resistance tersebut mampu bertahan. Namun sebaliknya waspadai pula terjadinya penguatan lanjutan menuju area 1.63958 jika resistance area pecah.
Selasa, 05 April 2011
Aktivitas Sektor Jasa AS Berkurang
Indeks non-manufaktur AS turun ke level 57.3, lebih rendah dari prediksi 59.5 dan publikasi sebelumnya 59.7.Dollar kurangi penguatan dan Dow makin terpuruk setelah data dirilis. Ini tentunya dapat memaksa Federal Reserve untuk tetap jalankan program pembelian aset hingga bulan Juni.
Sektor jasa AS masih catatkan ekspansi walaupun pertumbuhan melambat dari bulan Februari. Sektor jasa berikan kontribusi signifikan bagi output ekonomi AS; pekerjaan 90% angkatan kerja, dengan ragam industri meliputi perawatan kesehatan, ritel, jasa keuangan, dan konstruksi. Meskipun, tingkat pengangguran AS turun ke level 8,8% di bulan Maret, namun perbaikan tidak merata di seluruh sektor. Konsumen kini hadapi tingginya harga bahan makanan dan energi.
Gold today
Emas kembali menguji area resistance dikisaran 1438.56. Pecahnya level resistance tersebut membuka peluang terjadinya penguatan ke area 1447.35. Sebaliknya jika area resistance mampu bertahan, terbuka peluang koreksi membidik area support dikisaran 1428.72 hingga 1418.89 yang juga merupakan area trendline. Hal tersebut juga diperkuat oleh kondisi CCI dan juga Stochastic yang telah berada dalam area overbought.
PMI Jasa Kuatkan Sterling
Sterling perpanjang reli setelah data tegaskan berlanjutnya pemulihan ekonomi Inggris. Indeks PMI sektor jasa meningkat ke level 57.1, lebih baik dari prediksi 52.5 dan publikasi sebelumnya 52.6
Sektor jasa berikan kontribusi yang signifikan terhadap output ekonomi Inggris. Ini dapat menjadi indikasi Inggris tidak akan terpuruk kembali ke dalam jurang resesi setelah catatkan kontraksi pertumbuhan 0,5% di kwartal terakhir 2010. BoE pun mungkin segera naikan suku bunga demi jinakkan inflasi jika pemulihan ekonomi terjaga. Sterling kini diperdagangkan 1.6220, dekat level tinggi harian 1.6225
Sektor jasa berikan kontribusi yang signifikan terhadap output ekonomi Inggris. Ini dapat menjadi indikasi Inggris tidak akan terpuruk kembali ke dalam jurang resesi setelah catatkan kontraksi pertumbuhan 0,5% di kwartal terakhir 2010. BoE pun mungkin segera naikan suku bunga demi jinakkan inflasi jika pemulihan ekonomi terjaga. Sterling kini diperdagangkan 1.6220, dekat level tinggi harian 1.6225
Portugal (Mungkin) Butuhkan Bailout
Moody's kembali pangkas peringkat kredit Portugal dari A3 menjadi BAA1 akibat kemungkinan Lisbon meminta bail-out dari Uni Eropa dalam waktu dekat. Moody’s masih berpersepsi negatif terhadap Portugal, namun kemungkinan pemangkasan lebih lanjut bergantung kepada kemampuan Lisbon amankan pendanaan jangka menengah. Euro melemah hingga sentuh $1.4169 setelah penurunan peringkat Portugal.
Pasar yakin Lisbon akan ikuti jejak Yunani dan Irlandia meminta bail-out Uni Eropa/IMF. Namun, Perdana Menteri sementara Jose Socrates telah utarakan negaranya tidak butuh bantuan Uni Eropa. Presiden Portugal telah bubarkan parlemen minggu lalu dan tetapkan 5 Juni sebagai tanggal pemilu. Meskipun Lisbon masih dapat penuhi kebutuhan pendanaan, tapi biayanya akan semakin mahal.
Pasar yakin Lisbon akan ikuti jejak Yunani dan Irlandia meminta bail-out Uni Eropa/IMF. Namun, Perdana Menteri sementara Jose Socrates telah utarakan negaranya tidak butuh bantuan Uni Eropa. Presiden Portugal telah bubarkan parlemen minggu lalu dan tetapkan 5 Juni sebagai tanggal pemilu. Meskipun Lisbon masih dapat penuhi kebutuhan pendanaan, tapi biayanya akan semakin mahal.
Sterling: Bila Ekonomi Rapuh, Bunga Takkan Naik
Perhatian investor saat ini tertuju pada fokus pasar pekan ini yaitu pertemuan Bank of England (BoE) pada hari Kamis lusa.
Namun demikain pengetatan moneter mungkin saja ditunda jika data-data yang keluar memberikan sinyal pemulihan ekonomi yang rapuh.
Namun hari ini (15.30 WIB), survei PMI untuk sektor jasa juga akan mendapatkan perhatian seiring investor terus mencari petunjuk lebih lanjut akan pemulihan ekonomi setelah GDP Inggris berkontraksi 0,5% di kuartal terakhir 2010.
Pihak BoE diprediksi akan mempertahankan suku bunga di level rendah 0,5%, tapi bunga pinjaman ini diperkirakan meningkat dalam beberapa bulan mendatang terkait bank sentral berusaha melawan inflasi yang kini terlampau jauh dari target.
Euro Today : Potensi Koreksi ke Kisaran 1.4173
EURUSD saat ini terlihat mengalami koreksi menuju area support dikisaran 1.41730. Secara teknikal kondisi CCI dan juga Stochastic yang telah berada dalam area oversold memungkinkan terjadinya rebound menuju area 1.42675 jika support tersebut mampu bertahan. Sebaliknya jika support tersebut pecah, terbuka peluang terjadinya pergerakan bearish lanjutan menuju area trendline.
Sterling Today : Di 1.61283, Uji Resistance di Level Sama

Bernanke Says Fed Will Act If Inflation More Than ‘Transitory’
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said he expects an increase in commodity prices to create a “transitory” boost in U.S. inflation and that the central bank would act if he’s proven incorrect.
“So long as inflation expectations remain stable and well anchored” and commodity-price increases slow, as he’s forecasting, then “the increase in inflation will be transitory,” Bernanke said today in response to audience questions after a speech in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
“We have to monitor inflation and inflation expectations extremely closely because if my assumptions prove not to be correct, then we would certainly have to respond to that and ensure that we maintain price stability,” he said.
The dollar rose against the euro and yen after the comments, which are similar to both Bernanke’s congressional testimony and the statement from the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee last month. He told lawmakers March 1 that Fed officials “continue to monitor these developments closely and are prepared to respond as necessary,” while the FOMC said on March 15 that it “will pay close attention to the evolution of inflation and inflation expectations.”
The dollar rose to 84.28 yen at 9:17 a.m. in Tokyo from 84.06 on April 4 after earlier touching 84.49. Against the euro, the dollar strengthened to $1.4211 from $1.4221 after reaching as high as $1.4193.
The Commerce Department reported last week that the Fed’s preferred price gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, excluding food and energy, increased 0.9 percent in February from a year earlier. Including all items, prices rose 1.6 percent.
The FOMC, led by Bernanke, said after its last meeting on March 15 that the economy is on a “firmer footing” and affirmed plans to buy $600 billion of Treasuries through June. Bernanke hasn’t said what he favors as the next move for monetary policy after that.
The Fed has kept its benchmark interest rate close to zero since December 2008 and last month reiterated it would remain there for an “extended period.”
“So long as inflation expectations remain stable and well anchored” and commodity-price increases slow, as he’s forecasting, then “the increase in inflation will be transitory,” Bernanke said today in response to audience questions after a speech in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
“We have to monitor inflation and inflation expectations extremely closely because if my assumptions prove not to be correct, then we would certainly have to respond to that and ensure that we maintain price stability,” he said.
The dollar rose against the euro and yen after the comments, which are similar to both Bernanke’s congressional testimony and the statement from the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee last month. He told lawmakers March 1 that Fed officials “continue to monitor these developments closely and are prepared to respond as necessary,” while the FOMC said on March 15 that it “will pay close attention to the evolution of inflation and inflation expectations.”
The dollar rose to 84.28 yen at 9:17 a.m. in Tokyo from 84.06 on April 4 after earlier touching 84.49. Against the euro, the dollar strengthened to $1.4211 from $1.4221 after reaching as high as $1.4193.
The Commerce Department reported last week that the Fed’s preferred price gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, excluding food and energy, increased 0.9 percent in February from a year earlier. Including all items, prices rose 1.6 percent.
The FOMC, led by Bernanke, said after its last meeting on March 15 that the economy is on a “firmer footing” and affirmed plans to buy $600 billion of Treasuries through June. Bernanke hasn’t said what he favors as the next move for monetary policy after that.
The Fed has kept its benchmark interest rate close to zero since December 2008 and last month reiterated it would remain there for an “extended period.”
Qaddafi Diplomacy Rebuffed as Europeans Back Rebel Demands
Muammar Qaddafi’s diplomatic outreach failed to entice European leaders, as Italy rejected a reported cease-fire proposal and recognized the rebels’ interim council as the nation’s only legitimate government.
In Libya, rebels pushed back regime loyalists to gain control of most of the oil port at Brega, according to al- Jazeera television. U.S. and NATO warplanes continued to destroy regime targets, such as military vehicles near Brega hit by a U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack jet, according to a statement from the Pentagon.
The Libyan government is calling for an “international dialogue” to resolve the conflict, and offering elections and political reforms, spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said at a Tripoli press conference broadcast on Sky News. The possible solutions would not include Qaddafi stepping down now, he said. His future must be decided by the Libyan people since he has “symbolic significance” for the nation, Ibrahim said.
Opposition leaders and Western government have stated that Qaddafi must go, and have demanded the Qaddafi regime honor the UN Security Council’s demand for a cease-fire that allows humanitarian aid into embattled cities.
Oil fluctuated near the highest level in 30 months in New York. Crude for May delivery rose 53 cents to settle at $108.47 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest settlement level since Sept. 22, 2008. Prices are up 28 percent from a year ago.
Libyan rebels plan to export crude oil for the first time from a port near Tobruk in eastern Libya. The tanker Equator, able to load 1 million barrels of oil, is due today at the Marsa al Hariga terminal, according to AISLive Ltd. ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The rebels’ national council said April 1 that it had reached a deal to have Qatar help market Libyan oil, with proceeds going for food, fuel, medicine and other uses.
Elsewhere in the region, Yemeni police clashed with anti- government protesters in the southwestern city of Taiz, leaving at least 15 demonstrators dead and hundreds injured, Sadek al- Shujaa, chief of a local clinic, said in a telephone interview. The U.S. wants President Ali Abdullah Saleh to end the “appalling violence” and to reach a deal “as soon as possible” with the opposition, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington. Yemen’s opposition coalition called for international intervention to stop the bloodshed.
Separately, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on Saudi Arabia to pull its security forces out of Bahrain, according to the Associated Press. Syria may announce a new government by April 9 to replace the one that resigned last week in the aftermath of protests, Al Watan newspaper said today, without saying where it obtained the information.
Greece, Turkey
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini yesterday dismissed a reported cease-fire proposal by the Libyan leader, who sent an envoy to Greece and Turkey for talks. Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said Qaddafi appeared to want a political solution.
“These proposals are not credible,” Frattini said at a news conference in Rome with Ali al-Isawi, foreign affairs coordinator of the rebels’ governing group, the Interim Transitional National Council. Frattini said past truces declared by the regime were “systematically violated.”
Italy’s formal recognition of the rebels yesterday -- along with a similar decision by Kuwait -- follows that of France and Qatar. The U.S. and the U.K. have yet to establish diplomatic ties.
Italy, Libya’s former colonial ruler, has been the largest buyer of oil and natural gas from the North African nation, according to the International Energy Agency. Libya provided 22 percent of Italy’s crude oil imports before the conflict this year and the Greenstream underwater gas pipeline provided 13 percent of Italian gas imports, the IEA said.
At least two sons of Qaddafi are proposing a plan to move the Libyan leader out of power and oversee a democratic transition under his son, Saif al-Islam, the New York Times reported, citing an unidentified diplomat and Libyan official. It wasn’t clear whether the elder Qaddafi would support such a plan.
Replacing Qaddafi with one of his sons “is not acceptable,” the opposition’s al-Isawi said at the news briefing with Frattini.
“The purpose of the uprising was to see Qaddafi leave,” Khatib said he was told by opposition leaders in Benghazi.
The fighting is putting civilians in growing danger, said al-Khatib, a former Jordanian foreign minister.
Intensive fighting continued in the rebel-held western city of Misrata, with water and power cut off and food in short supply. Regime tanks began shelling an area of the city’s port about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center at about 9 a.m. local time, said a Misrata resident, who identified himself as Touka, by telephone.
“There is shelling and use of rocket-propelled grenade launchers and fighting taking place in the eastern part,” Reda Almountasser, another Misrata resident, said in a phone interview from the city.
“The hospital in Misrata reportedly came under bombardment early Sunday,” the humanitarian aid group said yesterday in a statement. “Remaining functional health clinics in the city are overflowing with severely injured patients and are running desperately short of medical supplies.”
Soldiers who have defected from Qaddafi units and better- organized rebel units were being deployed in battle near Brega, the BBC said. Rebels arrived in pickup trucks equipped with multiple-rocket launchers, according video shown by al-Jazeera.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization continued its air campaign. The alliance’s jets flew 154 missions over the country April 3, including 58 “strike sorties,” it said yesterday in a statement.
The U.K. is deploying four additional Panavia Tornado GR4 ground-attack aircraft, bringing its total to 12 in the NATO operation, Cameron said yesterday. In addition, the U.K. is providing “non-lethal” military equipment to the rebels, Hague told Parliament.
U.S. Flights Reduced
The U.S. began to carry out a pledge by President Barack Obama to hand over most military missions to NATO and its allies, such as Qatar. The U.S. will keep its attack aircraft on standby, to resume flights if necessary, while U.S. command and control aircraft and navy ships remain in action.
The Obama administration announced it is lifting financial and travel sanctions imposed on Libya’s former foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, who defected to Britain. There are 13 senior Libyan government officials on the U.S. sanctions list, and the lifting of sanctions on Koussa is intended to “encourage others” to abandon the regime, the U.S. Treasury said its announcement.
The U.K. sent a second team of diplomats to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, in eastern Libya, to meet with opposition leaders, according to an e-mailed statement from the British Foreign Office.
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping will meet with European and NATO officials in London and Brussels through April 5 “to further explore ways and means of resolving the crisis in Libya,” the AU said in a statement.
In Libya, rebels pushed back regime loyalists to gain control of most of the oil port at Brega, according to al- Jazeera television. U.S. and NATO warplanes continued to destroy regime targets, such as military vehicles near Brega hit by a U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack jet, according to a statement from the Pentagon.
The Libyan government is calling for an “international dialogue” to resolve the conflict, and offering elections and political reforms, spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said at a Tripoli press conference broadcast on Sky News. The possible solutions would not include Qaddafi stepping down now, he said. His future must be decided by the Libyan people since he has “symbolic significance” for the nation, Ibrahim said.
Opposition leaders and Western government have stated that Qaddafi must go, and have demanded the Qaddafi regime honor the UN Security Council’s demand for a cease-fire that allows humanitarian aid into embattled cities.
‘Keep the Pressure Up’
“At some stage, there will have to be a genuine cease- fire, then the political process can start,” said U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, who visited U.K. Typhoon pilots flying Libya missions from the Gioia del Colle air base in southern Italy. “Until then, we’ve got to keep the pressure up.”Oil fluctuated near the highest level in 30 months in New York. Crude for May delivery rose 53 cents to settle at $108.47 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest settlement level since Sept. 22, 2008. Prices are up 28 percent from a year ago.
Libyan rebels plan to export crude oil for the first time from a port near Tobruk in eastern Libya. The tanker Equator, able to load 1 million barrels of oil, is due today at the Marsa al Hariga terminal, according to AISLive Ltd. ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The rebels’ national council said April 1 that it had reached a deal to have Qatar help market Libyan oil, with proceeds going for food, fuel, medicine and other uses.
No ‘Game-Changer’
“That’s certainly news that should calm oil markets a bit,” said Hannes Loacker, an analyst with Raiffeisen Bank AG in Vienna. “However, the supply volumes won’t be a game- changer.”Elsewhere in the region, Yemeni police clashed with anti- government protesters in the southwestern city of Taiz, leaving at least 15 demonstrators dead and hundreds injured, Sadek al- Shujaa, chief of a local clinic, said in a telephone interview. The U.S. wants President Ali Abdullah Saleh to end the “appalling violence” and to reach a deal “as soon as possible” with the opposition, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington. Yemen’s opposition coalition called for international intervention to stop the bloodshed.
Separately, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on Saudi Arabia to pull its security forces out of Bahrain, according to the Associated Press. Syria may announce a new government by April 9 to replace the one that resigned last week in the aftermath of protests, Al Watan newspaper said today, without saying where it obtained the information.
Greece, Turkey
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini yesterday dismissed a reported cease-fire proposal by the Libyan leader, who sent an envoy to Greece and Turkey for talks. Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said Qaddafi appeared to want a political solution.
“These proposals are not credible,” Frattini said at a news conference in Rome with Ali al-Isawi, foreign affairs coordinator of the rebels’ governing group, the Interim Transitional National Council. Frattini said past truces declared by the regime were “systematically violated.”
Italy’s formal recognition of the rebels yesterday -- along with a similar decision by Kuwait -- follows that of France and Qatar. The U.S. and the U.K. have yet to establish diplomatic ties.
Italy, Libya’s former colonial ruler, has been the largest buyer of oil and natural gas from the North African nation, according to the International Energy Agency. Libya provided 22 percent of Italy’s crude oil imports before the conflict this year and the Greenstream underwater gas pipeline provided 13 percent of Italian gas imports, the IEA said.
Sons’ Plans
The Greek government said that a visit by Qaddafi’s acting foreign minister, Abdul Ati al-Obeidi, with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou was the latest attempt by the Libyan leader to resolve the crisis through a settlement. Late yesterday, Al- Obeidi met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who made no comments afterwards.At least two sons of Qaddafi are proposing a plan to move the Libyan leader out of power and oversee a democratic transition under his son, Saif al-Islam, the New York Times reported, citing an unidentified diplomat and Libyan official. It wasn’t clear whether the elder Qaddafi would support such a plan.
Replacing Qaddafi with one of his sons “is not acceptable,” the opposition’s al-Isawi said at the news briefing with Frattini.
Civilians at Risk
The UN Special Envoy for Libya, Abdel Ilah al-Khatib, told the Security Council that the rebels’ cease-fire terms include an end to the regime sieges of rebel-held cities and pulling back all forces, freedom for Libyans to express their political views, and an agreement to have Qaddafi give up power.“The purpose of the uprising was to see Qaddafi leave,” Khatib said he was told by opposition leaders in Benghazi.
The fighting is putting civilians in growing danger, said al-Khatib, a former Jordanian foreign minister.
Intensive fighting continued in the rebel-held western city of Misrata, with water and power cut off and food in short supply. Regime tanks began shelling an area of the city’s port about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center at about 9 a.m. local time, said a Misrata resident, who identified himself as Touka, by telephone.
“There is shelling and use of rocket-propelled grenade launchers and fighting taking place in the eastern part,” Reda Almountasser, another Misrata resident, said in a phone interview from the city.
Misrata Misery
The aid group Doctors Without Borders said it evacuated 71 people injured in the fighting from Misrata by boat April 3.“The hospital in Misrata reportedly came under bombardment early Sunday,” the humanitarian aid group said yesterday in a statement. “Remaining functional health clinics in the city are overflowing with severely injured patients and are running desperately short of medical supplies.”
Soldiers who have defected from Qaddafi units and better- organized rebel units were being deployed in battle near Brega, the BBC said. Rebels arrived in pickup trucks equipped with multiple-rocket launchers, according video shown by al-Jazeera.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization continued its air campaign. The alliance’s jets flew 154 missions over the country April 3, including 58 “strike sorties,” it said yesterday in a statement.
The U.K. is deploying four additional Panavia Tornado GR4 ground-attack aircraft, bringing its total to 12 in the NATO operation, Cameron said yesterday. In addition, the U.K. is providing “non-lethal” military equipment to the rebels, Hague told Parliament.
U.S. Flights Reduced
The U.S. began to carry out a pledge by President Barack Obama to hand over most military missions to NATO and its allies, such as Qatar. The U.S. will keep its attack aircraft on standby, to resume flights if necessary, while U.S. command and control aircraft and navy ships remain in action.
The Obama administration announced it is lifting financial and travel sanctions imposed on Libya’s former foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, who defected to Britain. There are 13 senior Libyan government officials on the U.S. sanctions list, and the lifting of sanctions on Koussa is intended to “encourage others” to abandon the regime, the U.S. Treasury said its announcement.
The U.K. sent a second team of diplomats to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, in eastern Libya, to meet with opposition leaders, according to an e-mailed statement from the British Foreign Office.
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping will meet with European and NATO officials in London and Brussels through April 5 “to further explore ways and means of resolving the crisis in Libya,” the AU said in a statement.
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