Ankara: A meeting was held in the Turkish capital, Ankara, between the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to discuss ways to reach a new agreement for transporting crude oil via the Iraqi-Turkish pipeline. The Iraqi delegation was led by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil for Extraction Affairs, Basim Mohammed Khudair, while the Turkish delegation was led by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ahmet Berat €¡onkar.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the meeting was attended on the Iraqi side by the Director General of the State Oil Marketing Company (SOMO), the Director General of the North Oil Company, and the Directors General of the Studies, Planning and Follow-up, Internal Audit, Legal, and Economic Departments at the Ministry’s headquarters. Extensive discussions were held on the proposed draft agreement and ways to enhance cooperation in various aspects of the energy sector between the two countries.

Both sides confirmed that the negotiations were conducted in a positive atmosphere and the understandings reached are considered a significant step towards drafting a new agreement. This new agreement aims to strengthen the partnership between Iraq and Turkey, ensure the continuity of transport operations, and achieve shared strategic interests.