Al-Sudani discusses energy cooperation with Turkish Minister
Shafaq News / Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani discussed on Wednesday cooperation between Iraq and Turkey in the energy sector, avenues for its development, and deliberated on resuming the 19th session of the Joint Economic Committee's meetings. They also continued discussions on Iraq's oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
During the meeting with the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, Al-Sudani affirmed the government's readiness to find a solution to resume oil exports. This solution, as stated by Iraq, should be within the framework of fair resolutions and adhere to the constitution in addressing various issues concerning neighboring countries.
It's worth noting that on March 25th, the flow of oil from the Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk province to the Ceyhan port in Turkey was halted due to a ruling by the International Arbitration Court based in Paris regarding oil exports between Turkey and Iraq.
Al-Sudani also touched upon the water file, Iraq's water share, and the direction towards optimal water usage, especially in agriculture. He emphasized Iraq's anticipation for further Turkish cooperation in this matter, which holds significant economic and humanitarian importance for the government.
Furthermore, the discussion encompassed the strategic project jointly undertaken by both countries—the Development Road—which is anticipated to foster continuous growth across various shared economic sectors.
The meeting also addressed the stances of both countries regarding the ongoing events in Gaza, aligning their views on the Palestinian issue. In this context, Al-Sudani praised Turkey's clear stance against condemnable attacks on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
On his part, the visiting minister conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressing Turkey's eagerness for further cooperation in various fields. He highlighted Erdoğan's explicit and detailed interest in the Development Road project, affirming that Iraq is not only significant for Turkey but also for European countries, particularly in the energy sector, owing to promising investment opportunities in the global gas market.
