There Was No Political Pressure In Oil Tender, Iraq's Oil Minister

BAGHDAD - Iraq`s oil minister said on Thursday that there had been no political pressure regarding exclusion of neighboring countries from the list determined as a result of a tender aiming at operation of the oil beds in Iraq.
Iraqi Minister Husayn al-Shahristani told A.A that all countries were free to participate in the tenders aiming at improvement and operation of the oil beds in his country.
He said all companies could participate and succeed in such tenders as long as they had the necessary qualifications.
The Iraqi minister said the first phase of the tender was for the operation of large oil beds in the country, and therefore, only the world`s biggest oil companies could participate in such phase as the primary requirement was to have more production than the existing production at these oil beds.
He said Turkish companies could not participate in the tender as their production capacity was not sufficient.
"The improvement and operation of the oil beds are subject to technical rules and it has no political side," Al-Shahristani said.
The Iraqi minister also said that the second and third phases of the tender aiming at operation of medium and small-sized oil beds respectively would be held next year. "Turkish companies can compete and succeed in such phases," he said.
Al-Shahristani said any agreement on oil was within the scope of responsibilities of the central government of Iraq.
He said Iraqi officials warned all the companies that signed an agreement on the issue with the local administration in the north of the country.
Iraq wanted to improve its natural gas resources as well, Al-Shahristani said and added that Iraq desired to transfer the excessive natural gas, which it would have after the natural gas reserves in Akkas and Al Mansuriyah regions started operating, to Turkey through two pipelines.
(DO-MS)