Ankara: Restarting the Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline does not pose a threat to Turkey

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Friday that the possibility of restarting the Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline does not pose a threat to the Turkish economy, and he expects joint offshore exploration between Turkey and Syria to take place in the future.

The minister said in statements carried by the official Turkish news agency Anadolu that Syria needs huge investments, and that Turkey does not see the possibility of restarting the Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline between Iraq and Syria as a threat to it.

He added that cooperation in the fields of energy and mining can contribute to promoting peace, prosperity and stability in Syria and the region, noting that there is a possibility of carrying out offshore exploration operations in Syria in the future, depending on economic feasibility and geological conditions.

It is worth noting that Iraq and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding on July 17, under US auspices, to restart the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline, allowing the resumption of Iraqi oil transport to Mediterranean ports via Syrian territory, in a move aimed at diversifying export outlets and strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries. Iraqeconomic reports

Shafaq.com