Kurdish energy minister praises Turkey for oil sales (“the most political oil in the world”)

Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government is grateful to Turkey for helping the transfer of “the most political oil in the world”, the Kurdish region’s natural resources minister has told a conference in Istanbul.
Ashti Hawrami delivered a speech on Thursday at the 'Mapping the Future of Energy' event
Tackling the issue of Islamic State terrorism, Hawrami said: "The Kurdistan region needs weapons donated by our friends to defend, hopefully, the unity of Iraq."
He said that IS had seized oil fields and refineries adding: “We need to do our best because we should not [surrender] what is a source of revenue, a source of strength to ISIS and its supporters.”

Hawrami also called for an inclusive, decentralized Baghdad government “based on power, revenue and control over security and oil/gas sharing.”
“Iraq may stay united if these are met," he said.
Hawrami went on to claim that Kurdish oil production did not decline during the Islamic State insurgency, but rather increased.
However, he added, as Islamic State seized key refineries, oil fields and damaged pipelines, it will take at least 1 to 2 years to restart their operations.
www.aa.com.tr/en
4/9/14
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Related:

• US policy favours selling of "Kurdish oil"

• Iraqi Kurdish oil nears US port despite concern in Washington. (Left the Turkish port of Ceyhan in June)

• Kurdish delegation to visit Turkey to collect oil revenue. (The first payment of $93 million for KRG oil sales had been received by Halkbank)

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