Syrian petroleum minister in Baghdad, new oil pipeline talks
Syria-Iraq, Economics, 8/19/1998

Syrian Minister of Oil Mohammed Jamal arrived in Baghdad today for a three-day visit, during which he will hold talks with his Iraqi counterpart, Amer Rashid, concerning reactivating the petroleum pipeline between Karkouk and Banias with an estimated capacity of 650,000 barrels a day.

This is second visit by a Syrian minister to Baghdad since starting the reconciliation between the two states in the middle of last year after 18 years of ideological and political disputes.

A reliable source in the Iraqi capital said that the Syrian minister will hold talks on opening oil pipelines linking Karkoul oil field in the Northern part of Iraq to Banias port on the Syrian Mediterranean coast, closed since 1982, as well as on building a new petroleum refinery in Banias with a capacity of 140,000 barrels daily and building a new pipeline between Karkouk's oil fields and the Syrian petroleum refinery.

On July 14 and during a visit held by Rashid to Damascus, Baghdad announced that an agreement was reached to reopen the oil pipeline linking Karkoul oil field to Banias port. The US has objected to the reopening of the pipeline, because it claimed "it does not fall in the course of oil-for-food program" and is considered a violation to UN sanctions imposed on Baghdad

A delegation of Iraqi experts recently held talks in Damascus that concerned repairing the pipeline.

Previous Stories:
  Syria, Iraq boost bilateral trade relations   (8/15/1998)
  New Syrian - Iraqi pipeline to be built   (8/4/1998)
  Iraq: US objections will not stop Iraq- Syria oil pipeline   (7/29/1998)

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