Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 17 / Trend, A. Tagiyeva /
Iraq intends to take legal action against foreign companies that collaborate with the country's Autonomous Kurdish Region in oil production and export without the permission of the central government, a source in the Iraqi government told Trend.
According to the source, foreign companies collaborating with the Autonomous Kurdish Region will be added to Iraq's 'black list' and the country will not cooperate with them in the future.
In addition, sanctions will be imposed on companies that transport oil for such illicit export.
Earlier, in June 2012, Iraq put U.S. oil company Chevron on a 'black list' in response to the company's contract with the Kurdish Autonomy Region for the exploration and production of oil that bypassed the Iraqi government.
Chevron became the second U.S. oil company to be sanctioned by the government of Iraq. Earlier, in the autumn of 2011, the largest oil company in the world (ExxonMobil) made an agreement with the Kurdish Autonomous Region on the development of oil fields there. ExxonMobil could not take part in oil auctions in Iraq because of these agreements.
Earlier Turkey announced that as of January 10, 2013, the country will start oil imports from the Kurdish Autonomy Region in small quantities. In exchange for oil imports, Turkey will export petroleum products to the area, particularly gasoline and gas-oil.
Iraqi government officials previously criticized the cooperation of the Kurdish Autonomous Region and Turkey in energy, stating that sanctions will be imposed on Turkish companies cooperating with the Iraqi Kurdish government.
According to BP, the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq has oil reserves of 45 billion barrels.