Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar seen at a summit in Istanbul [Getty]
Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Wednesday that he met senior Iraqi oil and foreign ministry officials to discuss energy cooperation, including on the Iraq-Turkey Crude Oil Pipeline that runs from Kirkuk to Ceyhan.
The decades-old Turkey-Iraq Crude Oil Pipeline Agreement, which governs exports through the pipeline, is due to expire on July 27. Baghdad and Ankara are still discussing a new draft agreement.
The Iraqi delegation included Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom, Deputy Oil Minister Naser Azez Jabbar, and Iraq’s Ambassador to Ankara Majid Al-Lachmawi.
Bayraktar said in a post on X that Turkey aims to work closely with the new Iraqi government on more effective use of existing energy infrastructure.
Turkey also seeks to support existing infrastructure with new connections, Bayraktar said.
Baghdad last month asked Ankara to extend the pipeline agreement for at least a year to allow time for more talks, but Ankara said it does not want an extension under current conditions.
