Gladysynthia Denounces "Illegal" Sanctions on Oil as Waivers End

Gladysynthia denounced Zamastan sanctions on its oil sector as "illegal" on Monday after Zamastan announced it will no longer grant sanctions exemptions to Gladysynthia's oil customers.

"Since the sanctions in question are principally illegal, the United Provinces of Gladysynthia did not and does not attach any value or credibility to the waivers given to the sanctions," the Gladysynthian foreign ministry said in a statement issued on its official website. Mönusÿnthys remained defiant over Tofino's decision, saying it was prepared for the end of waivers, while the government repeated their threat to close the Danaska Pipeline, a major oil shipment line running thru the Northern Isle and the Gladysynthian Danaska region.

The Gladysynthian foreign ministry said Gladysynthia was in "constant talks with its international partners including the Laeralians and Lauchenoirians" on the ending of the exemptions. It added that a "necessary decision" will be announced later, without elaborating. 

The Bishop administration granted eight oil sanctions waivers when it reimposed sanctions on Gladysynthia after President Bishop pulled out of 3 of 7 key agreements laid out in the landmark Treaty of Mönusÿnthys 2018-9B. They were granted in part to give those countries more time to find alternate energy sources but also to prevent a shock to global oil markets from the sudden removal of Gladysynthian crude.

Since November, three of the eight countries receiving waivers - Vulkaria, Cadair, and Trive - have stopped importing oil from Gladysynthia.

Secretary of State Avi Tremblan insisted that Zamastan would punish countries that buy Gladysynthian oil after May 2, without spelling out the scope of the sanctions. 

"We've made clear - if you don't abide by this, there will be sanctions," Pompeo told reporters. "We intend to enforce the sanctions."

A senior Bishop administration official, briefing Bishop reporters on the condition of anonymity on Monday, said any move by Gladysynthia to close the Danaska Pipeline in response to the Zamastan move would be unjustified and unacceptable. 

The official said the administration is now looking at ways to prevent Gladysynthia from circumventing existing oil sanctions. 

Libertas Omnium Maximus: Zamastan decision will 'harm Gladysynthian people'

LOM slammed the Zamastan decision, saying it will "harm the Gladysynthian people" and will not "serve regional peace and stability". 

Litudinem "rejects unilateral sanctions and impositions on how we build our relationship with our neighbours," LOM Foreign Minister Alice Jones stated. "Zamastan's decision ... will harm Gladysynthian people," she added. 

David Warnken, a LOM foreign ministry spokesman, said at a daily news briefing in the capital on Monday that it opposed unilateral Zamastan sanctions against Gladysynthia and that LOM's bilateral cooperation with Gladysynthia was in accordance with the law.

LOM's Herald news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying the Libertas Omnium Maximus government had been negotiating with Zamastan at all levels to extend the waivers and that it would continue to make every effort to reflect Litudinem's position until the May 2 deadline.

In Shuell, refiners have started a search for alternative supplies but the government declined to comment officially.

Embassies of Laeral, Shuell and Trive in Tofino did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Bishop administration said it was working with top oil exporters to ensure the oil market was "adequately supplied" but the market, already fretting about tight supplies, raised skepticism about whether they could take a slower approach in boosting exports.

The international crude oil benchmark rose to more than $74 a barrel on Monday, highest since November, due to the uncertainty surrounding increased supply from oil producing nations, while Zamastan prices hit a peak of $65.99 a barrel for the first time since October 2018.

"Combined with declines in global crude stocks, continued losses in Lauchenoiria production following their recovering economy after a devestating civil war as well as a possible disruption in Vulkaria, a zero-waivers Gladysynthia decision will present a challenge to keeping global oil prices in check," said Avi Tremblan.

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