Sema
The Kurdistan Region’s Acting Minister of Natural Resources announced on Monday that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will resume negotiations with Baghdad and oil companies concerning the restart of oil exports to Turkey after Eid al-Adha.
Kamal Mohammed Salih, the acting minister, told that while talks with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil are ongoing, a new round of discussions will take place following the Muslim holiday.
“After Eid al-Adha, we will restart negotiations with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and oil companies regarding the resumption of Kurdistan’s oil exports,” he confirmed.
According to the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha begins on June 6 and lasts for four days.
The minister also commented on the KRG delegation’s recent visit to the United States, noting Washington’s continued backing of Kurdish rights within the Iraqi federal framework.
“US officials have clearly informed us that their relations with Iraq are contingent upon respecting the political entity of the Kurdistan Region,” Salih said.
Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Turkish port of Ceyhan have been suspended since March 2023, following a ruling by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce in favor of Baghdad.
The court decision upheld Iraq’s claim that Turkey had violated a 1973 agreement by allowing independent Kurdish oil exports without Baghdad’s consent.
Since then, the KRG and the federal government have been in ongoing talks to reach a new agreement that would resume exports under a unified framework.