Report: Iraqi attempts to resume pumping its oil through Syria

The London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily stated on Sunday that according to Iraqi diplomatic sources political efforts are being made by Baghdad with the Syrian government in order to permit Iraqi oil to be exported through the Syrian port of Banias on the Mediterranean.

The sources told the daily that the development of relations between the two states, especially in the commercial area, will help in having a Syrian response to the Iraqi requests, adding that an Iraqi technical delegation will head for Damascus to hold talks on operating the oil pipeline on which reconstructing and rehabilitation works have been completed with a maximum capacity of 1.4 million barrels of oil per day.

The paper continued, according to the Iraqi diplomatic sources that relations between the two states have been rebuilt currently at an Iraqi enthusiasm and a Syrian quietness.