bkp close ties with mauritania government

Max de Vietri, chief executive of Baraka Petroleum Ltd., an independent oil company that's been operating in Mali for five years and has close ties with the government there, said the Chinese are "model partners." The company this week showed successful exploration results on a prospect that could total 400 million barrels. In the joint-venture with Baraka, De Vietri said that his Chinese partners were "willing to listen" on proposals for operating strategies.

"That doesn't happen" with many Western companies, he said.

http://global-energy-security.blogspot.com/2006/12/into-africa-out-of-asia.html