Damascus upset over Washington's opposition to Iraqi oil exports from Banias
Syria-Iraq, Politics, 7/16/1998

Syrian official sources on Wednesday expressed strong worries over the US stand opposing the agreement providing for pumping Iraqi oil via Syrian ports. The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Damascus according to items of the "oil-for-food" accord signed between Iraq and the UN

The sources said the opposition is unjustified. It is unacceptable. Because it contradicts with what had been approved by the UN Security Council concerning sales of Iraqi oil via Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian ports.

The sources continued that the oil pipeline which will carry the Iraqi oil to the Syrian coast may be ready within two months. It went on that the US rejection means that in principle, Washington refuses any real closeness between Syria and Iraq, even on the humanitarian level.

On Tuesday an official at the US State Department said that any plan to export Iraqi oil through Syria will need the consent of the UN. The US official stressed that Iraq can only export oil through tracks agreed upon by the UN, adding that the Syrian - Iraqi pipeline is not one of these tracks.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian - Iraqi oil pipelines to be opened very soon   (7/15/1998)
  Iraqi oil minister discusses in Damascus reopening pipelines   (7/13/1998)
  Baghdad imports French sugar through Syrian port   (7/3/1998)

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