The two of them found a café at random and sat down, and Lightning asked, "Brother Gang, just say anything about it!" ”

Li Xiaogang nodded and said, "It's been some time since Longteng was formed, but I haven't been able to take care of it because I've been busy with food. Now that the food problem has been solved, I'm ready to focus on the dragon. ”

Lightning glanced at the calm street and said: "Now that the order of the country of Iraq has improved in an all-round way, terrorist attacks are almost extinct, since Brother Gang wants to focus on Longteng, it seems that my Tianthorn will also change the focus of his work." ”

Li Xiaogang nodded, and suddenly sighed: "I suddenly found that the problem of this dragon is much more complicated to solve than the food problem. We have no scruples about the G-8 headed by China, and there is nothing wrong with using force, but we cannot mess with OPEC, a purely economic organization. What's more, it is composed of 11 countries, and at the same time involves the interests of 11 countries. ”

"Brother Gang, when you are focusing on dealing with Israel, I have collected some information about OPEC, do you want to listen to it?" Lightning suddenly spoke.

Li Xiaogang smiled and said: "Only by knowing oneself and knowing one's opponent can you win all battles!" Well, you say! ”

Lightning sorted out his thoughts and told Li Xiaogang the information he had obtained about OPEC.

Throughout the Middle East, more than 100 billion tons of oil are buried underground, accounting for more than 69 percent of the world's total oil reserves.

Such abundant energy is enough to make these Middle Eastern countries the focus of the world and the object of envy.

However, this was not the case in the forties and fifties of the last world. The Middle East is rich in oil, but it has always played the role of a victim in the international energy market.

The big Western oil companies have always firmly controlled the price of Middle Eastern oil exports, and they were the biggest and most vicious exploiters at that time. The low price of oil in the forties and fifties did not make much profit for the oil-rich countries of the Middle East. Even in many parts of the world, people are still struggling with poverty, while the Western oil giants, who control the international energy market, are reaping huge profits and insane wealth every year.

It wasn't until 1960, when OPEC was founded, that that situation changed. With the resumption of control of oil fields by Middle Eastern countries, OPEC has begun to show its head in the international energy market, and with the increasing number of its member states, its influence in the international market is also increasing.

Today, OPEC produces 60 percent of the total oil traded on the international energy market every day.

OPEC reduces and increases production to deeply affect oil prices on the international market, thereby safeguarding the income and interests of oil-producing countries.

Only then did the OPEC member states gradually change from the status of victims to the status of discourse. would have been for this change. People should be happy for them, but OPEC has gone from strength to strength over time. It was found that the organization seemed to be starting to deteriorate and becoming more and more greedy.

In this century, the economies of all countries in the world have begun to develop rapidly, and correspondingly, the demand for oil is also increasing, and the increase in demand will inevitably lead to a sharp rise in international oil prices. Faced with such a situation. In line with OPEC's purpose of balancing the interests of both oil buyers and sellers, OPEC should urge its members to increase oil production. One is to meet market demand, and the other is to stabilize international oil prices.

OPEC, however, did not take such a approach. Instead, they watched the rise in international oil prices, ignored the world's calls for them to increase production, and made huge profits. Sit back and watch as many countries fall into an oil crisis and ignore the economic recession. Past victims begin to transform into murderers and thugs.

OPEC has two institutions, the OPEC General Assembly and the OPEC Secretariat (in fact, there are three institutions, and the other is the OPEC Council, but for the sake of the circumstances, it is not mentioned).

The OPEC General Assembly is the highest body of OPEC, composed of the ministers of energy or mines of its member countries, and meets every six months to discuss matters such as production, oil prices, and the approval of new members.

The election of its leader is based on a rotational method, which rotates every six months, and the current rotating leader of OPEC is Kuwait's energy minister Hoffman, a tough and stubborn old man.

The OPEC Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the organization, under the direction of the Council, and under the direct authority of the Secretary-General. The secretary general at this time was the Saudi Baraku. This man is much more flexible than Hoffman and is widely regarded as one of the easiest people to deal with in OPEC.

It's also relatively easy to deal with, and it's maddening if Baraku is more serious about some matter of principle.

In OPEC, because the leader is on a rotating role, anyone has the opportunity to become the leader, so the power is less than that of the secretary general.

Therefore, Baraku's status in OPEC is very high, and Saudi Arabia is the country with the largest oil reserves and oil production, and is one of the most important member members of OPEC, which virtually makes Balaku's power stronger and more prominent.

As soon as he heard Lightning mention this person, Li Xiaogang instinctively felt that if he wanted OPEC to compromise, this person was the key to the key.

As long as you can take him down, it will be much easier to do it.

As for Hoffman, the rotating leader of this year, Li Xiaogang didn't care much, even if he was stubborn, it was not difficult to put a little pressure on him because of his good relationship with Basaha, so that he would succumb.

Of all Lightning's statements about OPEC, the one that caught Li Xiaogang's attention the most was the oil production system that OPEC is now implementing.

OPEC regulations require the organization to work for the stability and prosperity of the oil market, so in order to ensure the interests of both oil producers and consumers, OPEC has implemented an oil production quota system.

If oil demand rises, or if some oil-producing countries reduce oil production, OPEC will increase its oil production to stop the surge in oil prices. In order to stop the decline in oil prices, OPEC may also reduce oil production according to market conditions.

In other words, OPEC is like owning a big piece of the pie, and there are strict rules about who deserves how big of the pie. If OPEC members produce 10 million barrels of oil a day, 3 million barrels of that total oil production comes from Saudi Arabia, accounting for about 30 percent of all OPEC quotas.

Iran is the next most, with about 15 percent, and the remaining 55 percent is prorated among the other eight member states.

When there is a shortage of international oil and it is necessary to increase production, then this part of the increase in production will also be distributed to the member countries in proportion. Conversely, the same is true for the need to reduce production.

The reason why Li Xiaogang values the OPEC quota system is that if Longteng's oil is to be listed, then he must get a significant share from these OPEC members.

At present, the international oil market has tended to stabilize, and if Longteng does not care about the delivery of oil to the international market, the result is likely to be a disaster, the international oil market will collapse, and the price of oil will plummet, harming others and itself.

But for these member states, quotas mean benefits, and no one wants to give up the benefits to others, which is why Lightning finds it so difficult to negotiate with these countries. After listening to Lightning's narration, Li Xiaogang had a preliminary understanding of OPEC acid. Thinking about it carefully, Li Xiaogang didn't think of where to start and break through this fortress. But Li Xiaogang absolutely believes that if the fortress built because of interests wants to be breached, the only way to break through it is to use greater interests as a weapon.

"Brother Gang, this is OPEC, a solid combination of interests. It's not easy to open his gap! ”

Lightning said to Li Xiaogang with a frown.

Li Xiaogang nodded heavily and said, "Can the Heavenly Thorn be active in Saudi Arabia?" ”

Lightning pondered for a moment and said, "We have focused most of our energy on the Persian Gulf, and we don't have much activity in Saudi Arabia and don't have much influence. But it's never too late to act, even now, if you need to! ”

Li Xiaogang nodded, and said in a deep voice: "Okay, you help me contact Baraku, I want to meet him!" ”

Lightning shook his head and said, "It's useless, I've already met this person Baraku, and they all say that he is easy to deal with, but it also depends on what it is?" I mentioned to him that Longteng wanted a share, but he rejected me at once, so to speak, without giving any face. Even if you come out, I'm afraid it's not so easy to convince him! ”

Li Xiaogang sighed and said, "No matter how easy it is, you have to try it to know." You just have to make an appointment for me, and then talk about it! ”

Lightning nodded and said, "Okay then, I'll arrange it." But let him come to Baghdad, or do you go to Saudi Arabia? Li Xiaogang pondered for a while and said, "Let's go to Saudi Arabia!" After all, this time we are going to ask someone. ”

It took a little time for Lightning to arrange a meeting between Li Xiaogang and Barakul, and Li Xiaogang was rarely free, which made him, a busy man, suddenly feel a little bored, yawning while wandering the streets of Baghdad. The storefronts on both sides of the street seem to have made an appointment with each other, and they are being renovated in unison. As far as the eye can see, it has faintly become a new landscape, full of vitality and hope, and full of vitality.

"Wow, great Chinese people!"

Just when Li Xiaogang was shopping comfortably, he suddenly heard a passionate call with an exotic emphasis.

Li Xiaogang was stunned to look for prestige, only to see a slightly dark man from the country of Iraq who opened his arms at him and hugged him vigorously, fortunately Li Xiaogang did not feel the murderous aura from his body, otherwise he would have flown far away now.

Li Xiaogang hugged him, and the man from Yiguo said with a smile: "Great Chinese friend, you are welcome to my store." (To be continued.) (。 ))