Iraq Refers Oil Deals
to Kurds, Angers Turkey
Jan 29, 20007
Zaman
Iraq's oil authority has
referred Turkish companies' requests for renewal of their contracts for
transportation of oil products to Iraq to Kurdish authorities, prompting an
angry reaction from Turkey.
Iraq's State Oil Marketing
Organization (SOMO) has refused to renew the contracts of Turkish companies
exporting oil products to Iraq and said in a letter to the companies that they
should get in touch with authorities in northern provinces if they wanted to
renew their agreements, Anatolia news agency said.
But SOMO's letter, signed by
Director-General Fallah Al-Amri, drew ire in Ankara. State Minister Kürşat
Tüzmen confirmed that some companies had received some "strange" letters saying
that they should talk to authorities in the north, while others had been given
the same instruction verbally. "SOMO's attitude is unacceptable," said Tüzmen to
the Anatolia. "If someone is trying to test Turkey's patience, they will pay a
heavy price for this."Turkey says Iraq's territorial integrity must be protected
and denounces possible attempts by Iraqi Kurds to create an independent state in
north of the country. Ankara also insists that oil and other riches of the
country must be governed by Baghdad and the revenues must go to all Iraqis.
"Turkey recognizes an undivided Iraq with territorial integrity. Therefore, we
talk to the central Iraqi government and SOMO on oil issues," Tüzmen said. "If
some people try to impose certain things on Turkey, they will fail. Turkey never
allows such a fait accompli." SOMO's oil move comes amid political tension
between Turkey and Iraq over the status of the disputed city of Kirkuk. Ankara
has been increasingly vocal over the past weeks in criticizing a planned
referendum in 2007 on the fate of Kirkuk and demanding a postponement for the
vote.
Turkish authorities say a
large number of Kurds from different parts of Iraq have flocked to Kirkuk in
recent years, in what they see as an effort to change the demographic
composition of the city in their favor ahead of the referendum. Other residents
of the city, Turkmen and Arab clans, also complain that Kurdish groups are
trying to seize control of the city by sponsoring migration of Kurds.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan has recently said Turkey would not allow a "fait accompli" on the fate
of Kirkuk and hinted that a military option is also on the table. Kirkuk sits
atop six percent of the world's known oil reserves and experts believe the
city's control would bring significant leverage to Kurds in their attempts for
independence. Iraqi government, in response, criticized Turkey for its
interference in Iraqi affairs and said Turkish politicians were trying to stir
tension in the north.
Turkey, in line with a past
decree issued by the Prime Minister's office, speaks to only the Iraqi
government and SOMO on issues related to export of oil production to Iraq.
Tüzmen said officials at the Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade have tried to
contact SOMO to discuss the letters sent to the Turkish companies, but that
there was no response from the Iraqi authorities. "SOMO officials do not answer
phone calls" from the Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade, he said. Tüzmen sent a
letter to Iraqi oil minister, criticizing SOMO's letter to Turkish companies and
urging the Iraqi side to respect the principles previously agreed upon.
"Unilateral decisions that do not respect these principles may negatively affect
the ongoing trade of oil products between Turkey and Iraq," Tüzmen said in his
letter.
