By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 7 January:
Federalist leader Ibrahim Jadhran is aiming to gain recognition from the Russian Federation in his efforts . . .[restrict]to establish a separate Cyrenaican state.
In a bizarre development in the increasingly critical stand-off between the Zeidan government and eastern federalists, the leader of the self-styled Political Bureau of Cyrenaica, has hired a Canadian-based Israeli lobbyist to present his case in Washington and Moscow.
The one-year engagement, worth $2 million, will see Montreal-based lobbyist Ari Ben-Menashe, who claims to have worked for Israeli intelligence, promoting the recognition of the break-way eastern federalist group. According to Canada’s National Post, which broke the story, Ben-Menashe’s brief also includes pushing the legality of oil sales from eastern export terminals controlled by Jadhran, which means bypassing the National Oil Corporation.
According to documents filed in Washington, Ben-Menashe’s consultancy firm Dickens & Madson (Canada) Inc. is representing four foreign principals: “Cyrenaica Transitional Council, Ibrahim Said al-Jathran, Political Bureau of Cyrenaica, Usama Buera”.
The consultancy agreement, headed “Government of Cyrenaica” included with the filing says that Dickens & Madson will lobby the executive and or legislatures of the Russian Federation and the United States as well as any other governments, organisations or companies that the client may agree on with the lobbyist.
The document goes on to include “security services” along with the media and PR work that the Montreal firm will undertake.
It reads: “ In particular we shall strive, among other goals to gain political recognition for your government from the Russian Federation, to strengthen your military forces by providing you grants for military equipment and training from various governments.”
The agreement continues “In addition we shall strive to provide you with economic aid by soliciting buyers for your oil when the need arises as well as tankers for the transport of oil”.
Dickens & Madson also indicate that if asked, they will provide not simply security advice but regional and international foreign policy guidance “ with the intention of pacifying the region and achieving economic and political ability”.
One part of the agreement, mentioning the account to which the $2 million should be paid, immediately the agreement had been signed, which was 19 December 2013, has been redacted. However, the redaction appears to take up around 14 lines of text, which would appear to exceed the space necessary for merely giving bank account details.
The agreement is signed by Ben-Menashe and for “the government of Cyrenaica” by Osama Buera, “member of the Transitional Council”.
The documents filed with the US Department of Justice are a registration statement under the Foreign Agents Representation Act. Patrick Hughes of Wichita, Kansas lawyers, Adams Jones Law Firm P.A., which made the filing on behalf of Dickens & Madson, told the Libya Herald today that his firm had no other relationship with Ari Ben-Menashe and Dickens & Madson.
The Libya Herald was unable to contact Ibrahim Jadhran for a comment. The number given for Dickens & Madson in Montreal, which is listed as having three employees, appeared to be out of service.
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