Geology Journal Cites U.S. Policy in Rejecting 2 Papers Tied to Iran

["Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu>]

>From the Chronicle of Higher Education
Thursday, April 20, 2006

Geology Journal Cites U.S. Policy in Rejecting 2 Papers Tied to Iran
By LILA GUTERMAN

REKINDLING A CONTROVERSY that many academics thought had
    ended more than a year ago, a scientific publisher has
    rejected two papers because of their authors' connections to
    Iran. In letters rejecting the papers, the American
    Association of Petroleum Geologists cited a U.S. Treasury
    Department restriction that applies to authors who are part
    of the Iranian government.

  The American Association of Petroleum Geologists turned down the 
manuscripts submitted to its AAPG Bulletin because, in one case, 
an author worked for the National Iranian Oil Company, and in the 
other, the paper's authors in Norway had received data from the 
Iranian oil company.

The association cited a U.S. Treasury Department ruling, released 
in December 2004, that allows American publishers to edit and 
publish papers by authors in certain countries under a trade 
embargo, including Iran, but not if the authors are part of that 
country's government (The Chronicle, December 16, 2004). The 
association rejected the two papers in separate letters dated 
January 31, 2006, that cited the restriction and said, "Your 
paper is interesting and well written."

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Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223
phone 704 687-2825