Discussions to restart oil exports from Iraq’s Kurdistan region have been postponed until Thursday due to financial disputes between oil companies and the government. Initial negotiations failed to reach an agreement on payment terms for foreign operators, prompting the delay. The Kurdistan Petroleum Association raised concerns over the absence of formal agreement proposals for previous and future exports.
Negotiations aimed at resuming oil exports from the Kurdistan region of Iraq have been postponed until Thursday due to unresolved financial disagreements between the oil companies and the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. Initially scheduled for Tuesday, the talks were delayed after discussions on Sunday did not yield an agreement on critical issues, notably the payment terms for foreign companies operating within the region.
The Iraqi Oil Minister, Hayan Abdel-Ghani, alongside his government, had made statements indicating that the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which has been inactive for two years, would soon resume exports. In contrast, the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), representing eight companies that account for 60% of the region’s oil production, expressed concerns that there has not been any formal communication that clarifies commercial agreements or payment guarantees for both past and forthcoming exports.
In summary, the postponement of the talks highlights ongoing tensions between the Iraqi government and oil companies regarding financial terms. The lack of a formal agreement and clarity on payment structures remains a critical obstacle to the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan region. Both parties will reconvene on Thursday to attempt to resolve these issues.
Original Source: www.lbcgroup.tv
