Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basm Özeti
Could' situation on Iraqi oil exports turn against
Turkey?
• Deputy Undersecretary Aykut Cetirge opens discussion on whether a period of reconciliation is about
to emerge with longtime foe and neighbor Syria
• Both Turkey and Iraq desire full lifting of economic sanctions, but Ankara underlines that this can
only occur 'after Iraq has complied with UN resolutions'
ELIF SEMIHA KUFLU
Frankfurt - Turkish Daily News
Now that it seems almost certain that most of Iraq's oil exports will be transported via Turkey, diplomatic
observers are warning that Turkey's share in the trade may decrease slightly.
Turkey, a favored route for transferring Iraqi oil to world markets, also supplies Iraq with the food and
medicines that countryhungers for. Turkey, which suffered greatly from the economic impact of the U;N.
sanctions imposed on Iraq after the Gulf War in 1991,is expected to transport up to 70 percent of Iraq's oil,
with the remaining percentage transferred via Gulf countries. But now, an Iraqi official told the Turkish
Daily News (TDN) on Monday, Syria also wants to handle a portion of the recently increased Iraqi oil
exports. According to this same Iraqi official, who asked not to be named, "Syria, which dosed its pipeline to
Iraq a few years ago, now says it is ready to reopen it and export some of the increased oil output, like
Turkey." .
On the diplomatic front, a recent visit to Damascus by Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Aykut
Cetirge prompted a discussion on whether or not'a period of reconciliation is about to emerge with
longtime foe and neighbor Syria. Turkey and Syria are at odds over water-related disputes and Damascus'
support of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). None of the outstanding disputes seem near
resolution.
. .
In evaluating the recent U.S.-Iraqi crisis, the Iraqi official commented, "The worst thing about it was that it
only served to strengthen [Iraqi President] Saddam Hussein." Another diplomatic observer told the TDN,
"The people in northern Iraq, perhaps ironically, have a better chance of getting food from the food-far-oil
deal, but that is not a sure thing for the rest of the country.'~
Under a U.N. resolution passed after the latest U.N.-Iraqi standoff, Iraq's oil exports have increased by more
tha~ $5 ~~lliona year, strictly for use within the oil-far-food deal. Turkey, during a recent visit by high-level
IraqI offiCiaIsto Ankara, took advantage of the opportunity to lobby for all the Iraqi oil it can get, as well as
improved import conditions,
~eanwhile, diplomatic observers point out that smuggling, including that of diesel oil through Turkey, has
Increased. These observers warn that the countries with influence in the region, who are aware of this illicit
trade and so far have not taken measures against it, might stop turning a blind eye to the issue soon.
Both Turkey's and its southern neighbor's economies took a nose-dive caused in part by the halt in
cross-border trade following the Gulf War, when Turkey chose .to support the United States and the rest of
the allied forces and opened its territory to air strikes on Iraq prompted by Saddam's invasion of Kuwait.
Both Turkey and Iraq desire a full lifting of the economic sanctions, but Ankara continues to underline that
this can only occur "after Iraq has fully complied with all U.N. resolutions."
1 April 1998,Copyright @ Turkish DailyNews
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