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Turkey makes its choice in Iraq

Commentary Materials 16 May 2013 13:15 (UTC +04:00)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has recently paid an official visit to the U.S, made an unexpected statement
Turkey makes its choice in Iraq

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 16 / Trend /

Trend Arabic News Service commentator Aygul Taghiyeva

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has recently paid an official visit to the U.S, made an unexpected statement. Turkey signed an agreement with the authorities of the Kurdish autonomy of Iraq to establish a joint venture by the Turkish state oil company TPIC (TPAO's subsidiary) and U.S. ExxonMobil to conduct oil exploration in the autonomy.

This statement which presented Baghdad with a fait accompli, was made this time more decisively and sharper than previous statements about cooperation with the Kurdish autonomy.

Earlier Ankara spoke about the construction of an oil and gas pipeline with the Kurdish autonomy and Turkish companies' activity. However, each time Ankara has been emphasising that this cooperation will be realised only with Baghdad's consent.

Turkey's choosing U.S. company ExxonMobil tempts one to think that the country is not worried about future cooperation with Baghdad. ExxonMobil was the first of the world's largest companies which preferred a partnership with the Kurdish autonomy bypassing Baghdad, thus beginning a conflict with the authorities. The company received six oil-rich fields from the authorities of the autonomy and was ready to sacrifice the West Qurna-1 project in the province of Basra in southern Iraq.

The Iraqi authorities immediately said that they will include the U.S. firm on a 'black list' and deprive it of participation in all projects in Iraq. However, Baghdad did not take concrete action against ExxonMobil. On the contrary, it even allowed the company to expand its activity in the field.

Perhaps, seeing the hesitation of the Iraqi authorities in the issue of sanctions against the companies operating in the Kurdish autonomy, Turkey has also decided to expand its activity in the autonomy and create a joint venture with the most influential company in the region.
It is also important that Erdogan voiced his intention to discuss all the details of cooperation with ExxonMobil in Kurdish autonomy with U.S. President Barack Obama. More clear outlines of the Turkish-American joint venture's activity in the autonomy will be determined during the meeting.

The demand for energy resources is increasing in Turkey. This will open up a new market of the activity with the world's leading energy company and strengthen economic relations with the U.S.

Moreover, Turkey's activity in the Kurdish autonomy today is safer because Turkey and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party have recently achieved peace. The support of the authorities for the autonomy contributed to this. Turkey can be peaceful investments as well as for personal who are not a target for the PKK terrorist attacks.

Moreover, the Kurdish autonomy which needs investments to revive the economy, offers more favourable working conditions. First of all, it is a safer and less bureaucratic place for making investments compared to other regions of Iraq. The companies operating in the autonomy are the owners of shares in the field, while Baghdad proposes only participation in the project.

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