Turkey has reportedly struck a massive oil and gas agreement with Kurdistan

[-SINAN-]

According to a Monday report by The New York Times the Kurds in Iraq have agreed to supply Turkey with at least 10 billion cubic meters of gas every year through a natural gas pipeline whose construction is part of the deal.

Turkey have not officially confirmed the deal, which represents a fifth of the country’s current gas consumption.

The agreement is a major bone of contention between Turkey and the US, which believes such a measure would put Iraq’s integration in jeopardy by pushing the Kurds in the oil-rich country into the hands of Turks, the report says.

"Economic success can help pull Iraq together," US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said earlier this month.

But "if Turkey and Iraq fail to optimize their economic relations ... there could be more violent conflict in Iraq and the forces of disintegration within Iraq could be emboldened," he warned.

The US envoy added that at the end of the day, the measure would harm the interests of Turkey, the US and the regional countries.

Turkey had previously shied away from engagement with Iraqi Kurds fearing their probable efforts for independence on Iraqi soil would embolden the Kurds in Turkey to intensify their three-decade battle for autonomy. But Ankara’s recent attempts at ironing out issues with Kurds to put an end to the long hostility may have convinced them to build up courage and get closer to Iraqi Kurds.

The recent deal is also a thorn in the side of Iraq’s central government which tries to block Turkey’s efforts at boosting leverage by planning to become an energy hub in the region.

In November, Baghdad prevented Turkish national energy firm TPAO from bidding for an oil exploration contract.

And in December, Baghdad barred a plane carrying Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz from landing in Arbil as he was reportedly on his way to seal the much-speculated energy deal.

PressTV - Turkey defies US, Iraq by oil, gas deal with Kurds

 

[damm1t]

Turkey has reportedly struck a massive oil and gas agreement with Kurdistan
there is no such place.. name it northern iraq regional government

 

[FireFistAce]

I like this move, because on the one hand turkey shows it doesn't have anything against kurds.
and on the other hand turkey's energy dependency is divided on more countries.

 

[-SINAN-]

Sorry about that original sentence "Turkey has reportedly struck a massive oil and gas agreement with Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government"

Napıyım kardeş başlığa sığmadı

 

[Neptune]

THERE IS NOT SUCH A COUNTRY OR PLACE. Name it as Northern Iraqi Regional Kurdish Government

 

[Kaniska]

According to a Monday report by The New York Times the Kurds in Iraq have agreed to supply Turkey with at least 10 billion cubic meters of gas every year through a natural gas pipeline whose construction is part of the deal.

Turkey have not officially confirmed the deal, which represents a fifth of the country’s current gas consumption.

The agreement is a major bone of contention between Turkey and the US, which believes such a measure would put Iraq’s integration in jeopardy by pushing the Kurds in the oil-rich country into the hands of Turks, the report says.

"Economic success can help pull Iraq together," US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said earlier this month.

But "if Turkey and Iraq fail to optimize their economic relations ... there could be more violent conflict in Iraq and the forces of disintegration within Iraq could be emboldened," he warned.

The US envoy added that at the end of the day, the measure would harm the interests of Turkey, the US and the regional countries.

Turkey had previously shied away from engagement with Iraqi Kurds fearing their probable efforts for independence on Iraqi soil would embolden the Kurds in Turkey to intensify their three-decade battle for autonomy. But Ankara’s recent attempts at ironing out issues with Kurds to put an end to the long hostility may have convinced them to build up courage and get closer to Iraqi Kurds.

The recent deal is also a thorn in the side of Iraq’s central government which tries to block Turkey’s efforts at boosting leverage by planning to become an energy hub in the region.

In November, Baghdad prevented Turkish national energy firm TPAO from bidding for an oil exploration contract.

And in December, Baghdad barred a plane carrying Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz from landing in Arbil as he was reportedly on his way to seal the much-speculated energy deal.

PressTV - Turkey defies US, Iraq by oil, gas deal with Kurds

I may be wrong....but is Kurdistan is a nation so as to make deal with another country?

 

[Neptune]

I may be wrong....but is Kurdistan is a nation so as to make deal with another country?

Absolutely NO. He said that he couldn't fit the title. But I'm pretty sure he liked the way he did. Meanwhile forget everything including Kurdistan

 

[what]

Sorry about that original sentence "Turkey has reportedly struck a massive oil and gas agreement with Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government"

Napıyım kardeş başlığa sığmadı

KRG
Kurdish Regional Government

 

[liontk]

Can a turkiè member elaborate on this as I cannot understand how can they bypass the iraqi government in this deal and what are the bigger implications as far turkiè role in middle east. I essentially thought that turk wanted to stay away from the mess in middle east essentially or is it a new foreign policy at work as part of the prime ministrè erdogan`s government initiative.

I may be wrong....but is Kurdistan is a nation so as to make deal with another country?

Yah that part of the article was a tad bit confusing as the region is not recognized by UN as an independent sovereign state so isn`t turkiè government essentially undermining iraqi governments sovereignty by this act or can there be another ploy at play by prime ministre Edrogan as part of possibly new foreign policy at work.

 

[-SINAN-]

Absolutely NO. He said that he couldn't fit the title. But I'm pretty sure he liked the way he did. Meanwhile forget everything including Kurdistan

I wish my hands had been broken and could have not written that title.

 

[what]

Can a turkiè member elaborate on this as I cannot understand how can they bypass the iraqi government in this deal and what are the bigger implications as far turkiè role in middle east. I essentially thought that turk wanted to stay away from the mess in middle east essentially or is it a new foreign policy at work as part of the prime ministrè erdogan`s government initiative.



Yah that part of the article was a tad bit confusing as the region is not recognized by UN as an independent sovereign state so isn`t turkiè government essentially undermining iraqi governments sovereignty by this act or can there be another ploy at play by prime ministre Edrogan as part of possibly new foreign policy at work.

We are allready not good with the central government in Iraq (Maliki) who's close to Iran and Shia. The Kurds in the North on the other hand oppose him and also have oil. Its rather simple. Screw the sovergnity of Iraq and get cheap gas/oil from the Kurds who on the other hand seek protection if Maliki decides to stop the movement towards independence in the KRG.

 

[Jamaal Yelmaaz]

Public opinion of Turkey has little bit correct infos about the reality of current iraq..iraq had already been divided into 3 regions. Shia Arabs, sunni arabs and Kurds. it is very hard, almost impossible to unite it again..Because iraq already was an artificial state that founded on mandate status by British empire. İraq rhad been ruled from 1918 to 1958 by Britian sponsored iraqi mandate . Kurds never accepted British sponspored mandate and constantly fought againist English army and Arab forces for a regional Kurdish government...Ten thousand Kurdish civils massacred by English army and Royal Air Force of Britian...in 198-19 RAF used chemical gas againist Kurdish villiages arround Sulamaniyah. It was first proven chemacial gas attack in the history of world.

in times of Othman empire and all past goevrnments of iraq Kurdish region officially known as Kurdistan in geografical terms..
at the moment according to iraqi constitution Kurdish region known as Regional government of Kurdistan..Turkey also had recognized it as Kurdistan government and set up diplomatic ties and opened consulate in capital city, Erbil.

Turkey could only access into iraq through Kurdish regional government.. Otherwise it was impoosible due to iran's heavy influence on Baghdad government.

if Turkey have figure out its Kurdish issue or could get rid of PKK by any way the integration in politic, economic, cultural and social fields will go more rapidly between Turkey and RGK.

 

[Serpentine]

We are allready not good with the central government in Iraq (Maliki) who's close to Iran and Shia. The Kurds in the North on the other hand oppose him and also have oil. Its rather simple. Screw the sovergnity of Iraq and get cheap gas/oil from the Kurds who on the other hand seek protection if Maliki decides to stop the movement towards independence in the KRG.

Iraq is a federal state and Iraqi army is going to be too much powerful for dealing with Kurds.As long as Kurdish rights in constitution is preserved,no one can claim independence and Iraqi army has a right to deal with them.Turkey can't play the protector role here,because starting a new war with Iraq is not as easy as eating a piece of cake.
Kurds should learn to respect sovereignty of Iraq.I agree that Saddam was like an animal in treating Kurds, but a united Iraq can play a much more constructive role in the region than a broken one.

 

[darkinsky]

Public opinion of Turkey has little bit correct infos about the reality of current iraq..iraq had already been divided into 3 regions. Shia Arabs, sunni arabs and Kurds. it is very hard, almost impossible to unite it again..Because iraq already was an artificial state that founded on mandate status by British empire. İraq rhad been ruled from 1918 to 1958 by Britian sponsored iraqi mandate . Kurds never accepted British sponspored mandate and constantly fought againist English army and Arab forces for a regional Kurdish government...Ten thousand Kurdish civils massacred by English army and Royal Air Force of Britian...in 198-19 RAF used chemical gas againist Kurdish villiages arround Sulamaniyah. It was first proven chemacial gas attack in the history of world.

in times of Othman empire and all past goevrnments of iraq Kurdish region officially known as Kurdistan in geografical terms..
at the moment according to iraqi constitution Kurdish region known as Regional government of Kurdistan..Turkey also had recognized it as Kurdistan government and set up diplomatic ties and opened consulate in capital city, Erbil.

Turkey could only access into iraq through Kurdish regional government.. Otherwise it was impoosible due to iran's heavy influence on Baghdad government.

if Turkey have figure out its Kurdish issue or could get rid of PKK by any way the integration in politic, economic, cultural and social fields will go more rapidly between Turkey and RGK.

the formation of a kurd state in northern iraq will actually weak turkish kurd regions, if iraq is an artificial state so is turkey, kurds are the indigenous people who have been inhabiting the regions since ages and turks are just very new to the land, so its only natural kurds in turkey want liberation

Iraq is a federal state and Iraqi army is going to be too much powerful for dealing with Kurds.As long as Kurdish rights in constitution is preserved,no one can claim independence and Iraqi army has a right to deal with them.Turkey can't play the protector role here,because starting a new war with Iraq is not as easy as eating a piece of cake.
Kurds should learn to respect sovereignty of Iraq.I agree that Saddam was like an animal in treating Kurds, but a united Iraq can play a much more constructive role in the region than a broken one.

saddam was an animal? and bashar assad is not an animal, saddam kept the country united from sectarian violance like shia sunni

 

[what]

Iraq is a federal state and Iraqi army is going to be too much powerful for dealing with Kurds.As long as Kurdish rights in constitution is preserved,no one can claim independence and Iraqi army has a right to deal with them.Turkey can't play the protector role here,because starting a new war with Iraq is not as easy as eating a piece of cake.
Kurds should learn to respect sovereignty of Iraq.I agree that Saddam was like an animal in treating Kurds, but a united Iraq can play a much more constructive role in the region than a broken one.

I agree, but Erdogan apparently does not. I thought it was interesting that Maliki said (while the main opposition leader Kilicdaroglu was visiting him) that he should come again with businessman, but non-AKP businessman that are willing to invest in other parts of the country too. Erdogan is talking about sectarianism but he's sectarian himself.