By Sinan Salaheddin
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's self-ruled northern Kurdish region on
Thursday started exporting crude oil to the international market through the
Turkish port of Ceyhan despite objections from the central government in
Baghdad, Turkey's energy minister said.
The Iraqi government insists it has the sole right to develop
and market the country's natural resources. Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion,
the Kurds and Arab-led central government in Baghdad have been at loggerheads
over rights to develop resources.
Baghdad says only the central government may draw plans, award
deals to developers and export crude on the international market, while the
Kurds argue that the constitution allows their regional government to do so as
well.
The Kurds have signed more than 50 deals with Western oil
companies without Baghdad's consent. Since early January, they started pumping
crude oil through a separate pipeline that goes to through Turkey, bypassing a
Baghdad-controlled one.
"The shipment of northern Iraqi oil waiting at Ceyhan to
international markets has started," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told
Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency. "The loading of one million barrels of
oil is continuing," Yoldiz added without naming the buyer.
Baghdad has warned that it will deprive the Kurds of their 17
percent share in the national budget if they go ahead with the exports without
the government's approval and will sue the buyers. Officials in Baghdad were
not immediately available to comment.
The latest development could add to the already souring
relations between the Kurds and Baghdad at a time of starting negotiations to
form a new government after the April 30 national elections. The country's
Shiite Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, emerged the biggest winner, securing 92
seats in the 328-member parliament.
Also Thursday, Iraq's Oil Ministry said crude exports averaged
2.51 million barrels a day in April, a nearly 6 percent increase from the
previous month.
In a statement on its website, the ministry said April's
revenues stood at $7.582 billion, based on an average price of $100.691 per
barrel. March's oil exports averaged 2.37 million barrels a day, bringing that
month's revenues to $7,507 billion.
The ministry said a major pipeline — not the Kurdish-pumped one
but the one under Baghdad's control that is also north-bound — remains idle
because of "terrorists attacks."
The pipeline also goes to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan,
pumping 300,000 to 400,000 barrels a day, but traverses Sunni-dominated areas
in Iraq and has been a favorite target for militants.
Iraq holds the world's fourth largest oil reserves, some 143.1 billion
barrels. Oil revenues make up nearly 95 percent of Iraq's budget.Culled from Bloomberg News
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