Iraq's Kurdistan Region Halts Oil Exports to Baghdad
21:04 - 5 April 2012
KURDPA - A dispute between the Iraqi central government and the Kurdish autonomous region is gaining momentum after Kurdistan halted oil exports to Baghdad.
Iraq\'s Kurdish regional government has stopped exporting oil to the central government in Baghdad, drawing a sharp rebuke from officials in the capital.
The Kurdish Regional Government reached an accord with Baghdad in 2011 that it would export its oil to the central government, which would sell it and return half of the revenues.
The Kurdish region\'s Ministry of Natural Resources said Sunday that Baghdad had not made any payments to Kurdistan since May 2011. A ministry statement said that Kurdistan has \"reluctantly decided to halt oil exports until further notice,\" due to the lack of payment. The region has been shipping about 50,000 barrels a day to Baghdad.
Kurdistan has also been at odds with Baghdad over an oil exploration deal signed last November with Exxon Mobil.
Despite the problems with the Kurdish region, Iraq is reporting its highest oil exports since 1989, selling 2.13 million barrels a day in March.
Iraq\'s Kurdish regional government has stopped exporting oil to the central government in Baghdad, drawing a sharp rebuke from officials in the capital.
The Kurdish Regional Government reached an accord with Baghdad in 2011 that it would export its oil to the central government, which would sell it and return half of the revenues.
The Kurdish region\'s Ministry of Natural Resources said Sunday that Baghdad had not made any payments to Kurdistan since May 2011. A ministry statement said that Kurdistan has \"reluctantly decided to halt oil exports until further notice,\" due to the lack of payment. The region has been shipping about 50,000 barrels a day to Baghdad.
Kurdistan has also been at odds with Baghdad over an oil exploration deal signed last November with Exxon Mobil.
Despite the problems with the Kurdish region, Iraq is reporting its highest oil exports since 1989, selling 2.13 million barrels a day in March.
