No problem in extending oil pipeline from Kurdistan Region to Turkey, says parliamentary committee
17/07/2012 18:58
ERBIL, July 17 (AKnews) – Iraq's parliamentary oil and energy committee said there is no problem in extending the oil pipeline from the Kurdistan Region to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
A few days ago the Kurdistan Region's Minister of Natural Resources Ashti Hawrami announced that the region decided to build a new pipeline to connect the region with Turkey and that the project would be completed by the beginning of 2013.
Committee member Uday Awad said: "The committee's view point about the pipeline extension is for the best of Iraq's interest."
Awad added: "The current crisis is temporary and will disappear soon after the enactment of the oil and gas law and regulation of the relationship between central and the Kurdistan Regional governments.”
The region halted exporting oil in April as a reaction against Baghdad's decision not to pay the foreign companies that were investing in the region’s oil sector.
The Kurdistan Regional Government announced earlier that Iraq must pay $1.5bn as receivable to companies producing oil in the region. Baghdad however accepted to pay $560m.
By Majida Muhsin
HH/DM/AKnews
