Iraq resumes pumping oil into Turkey

Iraq on Thursday succeeded in repairing the pipelines which transport oil to Turkey, accusing the US of striking this line in order to topple the government in Baghdad through preventing Iraq from exporting oil, which is the only outlet to ensure food for the Iraqi people.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad Saeed al-Sahaf accused the US of attempting to destabilize the government of President Saddam Hussein through striking oil pipelines. The bombardment resulted in suspending the export of Iraqi oil.

In a message addressed to the UN Security Council chief, the Iraqi minister said that, "The US aggression falls in the series of maneuvers made by the US in order to destabilize the Iraqi regime, its security and to interfere in its internal affairs."

The Iraqi minister added that Iraq strongly condemns this aggression and holds the US fully responsible for it. He indicated that Iraq preserves its right to ask for compensation for damages that have resulted from the attacks on pipelines, which were estimated by Iraqi oil sources at US $25 million.