Economy

US must demand that Baghdad reopens Iraq-Turkey pipeline: APIKUR spokesperson

“Washington DC, the United States Congress and the United States President, most demand that Baghdad reopens the pipeline,” the APIKUR spokesperson told Kurdistan 24.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2024/02/16 14:19

Myles B. Caggins III, the spokesperson for the Association of Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), Feb. 15, 2024 (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan APIKUR Kurdistan Oil and Gas Law Oil Exports MNR

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Myles B. Caggins III, the spokesperson for the Association of Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), an association representing oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, told Kurdistan 24 on Thursday that the US needs to demand from Baghdad to reopen the export pipeline.

The export of Kurdish oil has been halted since March 25 after Iraq claimed victory against Turkey at a Paris-based international court for allowing independent Kurdish oil exports.

“Washington DC, the United States Congress and the United States President, most demand that Baghdad reopens the pipeline and allows the Kurdistan Region Government in Kurdistan region to produce for export and sale to the international markets.”

Also on Jan. 29, the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) in a letter appealed to the United States Congress to encourage Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani to resolve the oil production and export of Kurdish crude oil during his upcoming U.S. visit.

“We need Kurdish oil out in the global markets to have a strong Kurdistan where people can receive their salaries,” APIKUR spokesperson Myles B. Caggins III said.

“Baghdad is currently strangling its hands around the neck of the Kurdistan region and Baghdad is making decisions that are causing difficulties for the Kurdistan Region.”

“We as APIKUR, we see that this is a problem that is coming from Baghdad. Baghdad still has not completed the budget agreement with KRG and if Baghdad is not sending money for the teachers, civil servants, and Peshmerga, we know that the international oil companies will not receive money,” he added.

However, he confirmed that the solution should be sought in Baghdad. Thus far, discussions between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad have not yielded a breakthrough regarding the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region.