Page 4: Executive has many high-level contacts in oil industry

(Continued from Page 3)

Asked how much Abashawl is paid by the Stavanger agency, Brekke didn't give a dollar figure but said she was hired for one day of work per week.

But her job with the Houston Airport System is already a full-time position. And her calendar, released to Texas Watchdog following a request under the Texas Public Information Act, showed Abashawl has both work-related appointments and contacts with Norwegian officials in her work schedule.

Some examples: On Dec. 4, 2007, she attended a meeting of the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce at the Houston Country Club; last Oct. 22, she met with the Norwegian consul general in Houston, Lasse Seim; and this past May, she attended an evening reception for the Norwegian ambassador to the United States hosted by Seim. (For a more complete list of Abashawl's Norwegian contacts, click here.)

The city describes Abashawl's job as developing international trade. With a master's degree in business administration from Saint Thomas University, Abashawl also liaises with the federal Customs and Border Protection offices in Houston and is head of the airport system's Model Ports program. She has also been a society figure here, mentioned in social columns and serving as chair of events such as a white-tie Consular Ball benefiting international programs in the city.

A review of her calendar shows that a substantial part of her job is meeting with foreign officials and oil executives in Houston, the lion's share of both groups coming from the Middle Eastern oil-producing nations like Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Among the people with whom she met or had lunch or dinner are the heads of the state-run oil firms of Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Angola and Brazil -- those are called ADNOC, Aramco, Sonangol and Petrobras, respectively -- along with the consul general of Qatar; executives from Halliburton, ExxonMobil and Chevron; the CEO of ConocoPhillips; and a private birthday party for Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Poe.

Previous pages: 1 / 2 / 3

Contact Jennifer Peebles at jennifer@texaswatchdog.org. Contact Steve Miller at stevemiller@texaswatchdog.org.

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