Kurdistan: purchases of oil from the region do not go to America

Iraq’s oil-rich Kurdistan region said on Thursday oil buyers had told it it was not going to the United States as the region sought to avoid tensions with the federal government in Baghdad.
Baghdad has long opposed independent oil exports from the region and has been able to stop tankers destined for the US market several years ago.
But the central government eased its opposition to Kurdish crude exports during the previous year as Baghdad and Erbil fought together in a supportive organization
“I have asked our oil buyer and received assurances that there are no consignments on the way to the United States,” Ashti Hawrami, KRG’s natural resources minister, said following media reports that Khorda Khordia was on track to the US market for the first time since 2014.
Erbil sells oil in Europe and Asia through commercial companies as well as sells crude directly to Russia’s Rosneft but none of its oil has reached the United States, a major export market for Baghdad.
When the Navarland oil tanker sailed across Gibraltar last week carrying corduroy on board, it appeared to be heading across the Atlantic.
“Oil may be stored or transported elsewhere, but not the United States,” Hawrami said, adding that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was selling its oil on the basis of handover and therefore was not dealing directly with end-buyers.
“Our policy is to discuss and resolve problems and not to create new obstacles,” Hawrami said, adding that joint discussions on increasing production, exports, refining and electricity generation were continuing.
“It is a constructive dialogue,” Hawrami said. “Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has asked for the formation of a cooperation committee with each other and we hope to see them soon in Erbil for a new round of talks.”


https://en.economiciraq.com/2017/06/2...go-to-america/