Turkey warned Iraq yesterday not to involve the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq in oil business between the two countries.
The warning came after Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) asked Turkish companies to seek permission from the Iraqi-Kurdish government when doing deals with Iraq’s oil-rich north.
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, who is in charge of foreign trade, said Turkey would only deal “with the central Iraqi government” and not with Iraqi-Kurdish authorities, adding that he has sent Iraqi authorities a “strong letter,” outlining Turkey’s stance.
Tuzmen’s warning to Iraq came amid unconfirmed reports that Turkey has halted or slowed down exports of oil products to neighboring Iraq in alleged retaliation after SOMO asked Turkish firms, whose contracts were about to expire, to deal with local Iraqi-Kurdish authorities to obtain new contracts earlier this month.
Turkey is concerned about the growing power of Iraqi Kurds and has repeatedly warned Iraqi-Kurdish groups against trying to seize control of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, saying Turkey will not stand by amid growing tensions among ethnic Turkmen, Arabs and Kurds in Iraq’s oil-rich north.
“If Turkey is... tested, then the price of it would be dear,” Tuzmen warned. “If there is a serious state, it must stand behind its signatures.” Tuzmen said Turkish authorities have failed to contact Iraqi oil officials at SOMO despite repeated efforts to seek clarification on the issue.
Turkey had suspended sales of oil products to Iraq on January 19, 2006, after SOMO’s debts to Turkish companies exceeded $1 billion. The suspension was lifted in April.
Iraqi Kurds, who claim the region as their own and hope to eventually include Kirkuk in a region of self-rule in northern Iraq, accused Turkey of interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs.
Turkey fears Iraq’s Kurds want Kirkuk’s lucrative oil to fund a bid for independence that could encourage separatist Kurdish guerrillas in Turkey, who have been fighting for autonomy since 1984.
Kirkuk, an ancient city that once was part of the Ottoman Empire, has a large minority of ethnic Turks as well as Christians, Shiite and Sunni Arabs, Armenians and Assyrians.
(The Associated Press, 29/01/2007)