Govt warns Twinza: Meet conditions or lose Pasca negotiations

THE Government may pull out of negotiations with Twinza Oil Ltd on the Pasca gas project agreement if it disagrees with the conditions set out by the State Negotiation Team.
Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua said the Government was disappointed with Twinza for disclosing information to the media which were supposed to remain confidential between the two parties as negotiations were still ongoing.
“We feel that once the negotiations are ongoing, certain protocols must be observed. Certain level of confidentiality must be maintained by the negotiating parties,” Kua said.
“The State is extremely disappointment with Twinza’s continuous incisions into the media talking the negotiations up, talking the negotiations down.”
He said “individuals” were making comments about the integrity of the Government to tarnish its name and credibility.
“Those sorts of things are not acceptable to any nation and we can’t accept it,” he said.
“Because it has been going on for quite a while, the State negotiating team, have upon the advice and assistance of the state solicitor, sent a draft confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement to them to sign. Twinza has refused to sign.
“What the State has done is to withdraw itself from the negotiations.”
He said the negotiations had gone through “two layers on the Twinza side”.
“One is through their local representatives here (who then) with their bosses in Australia. And when ideas change, they come back and the direction of the negotiations changes next day,” Kua said.
“What we have said is bring all decision makers into Papua New Guinea, sit across the table facing the SNT then they negotiate.”
He said the non-disclosure agreement must be signed within seven days as of last Friday.
“Secondly, all decision-makers from Twinza must be in Papua New Guinea physically and then they negotiate. That has to be achieved by Oct 15,” he said.