Iraq-Turkey Talks Did Not Result in Resumption Of Flows

The meeting on Monday between a Turkish energy technical delegation and Iraqi oil officials in Baghdad did not result in a decision to resume oil flows and further talks will be needed, officials told Reuters.

• "We are discussing all technical aspects regarding the restarting of oil exports. A decision to resume flows will not happen today and more meetings are expected," an oil official said.
• "A decision to restart oil flow needs political talks on higher levels. Issues blocking the resumption of oil exports are more political than technical," said a second oil official.
• Turkey wants to negotiate the size of damages it was ordered to pay in the arbitration ruling and also seeks clarification on other open arbitration cases, said another oil official.
• Turkey halted Iraq's 450kbpd of northern exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline on 25 March after an arbitration ruling.
• US congress members have urged US secretary of state Antony Blinken to continue pressing Turkey and Iraq to resume oil exports, according to a letter dated June 15 seen by Reuters.
• The letter states that the pipeline halt has cut off the Kurdistan region from over 80% of its revenue, raising concerns over the region's economic stability and the risk of a "significant humanitarian crisis.”
• “With global supplies of oil and gas facing a continuing threat from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it's more important than ever to have harmony within Iraq's oil sector," the letter signed by Michael Waltz, Don Bacon and Seth Moulton said.