U.S., Turkey, Iraq to hold energy talks

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Iraq, Turkey and the United States will hold talks on energy issues March 1 in Istanbul, a day before an energy working group of Iraq's neighbors meet.

Murat Karagoz, first counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, confirmed the meeting Tuesday.

"To transport Iraqi natural gas to international markets is of great strategic importance," he said.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with President Bush and other top U.S. officials during a January visit to Washington. Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler told CNN-Turk the sides agreed to work together with Iraq to develop its oil and gas sector.

This follows a memorandum of understanding signed last August by Guler and Iraq Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani to work together.

Iraq's oil and natural gas is considered vital to global supply and funding Iraq's government and economy. Iraq has the world's third-largest proven oil reserves and sizeable gas reserves.

The country is also in talks to develop the Akkas gas field in Anbar province, which would send gas to Syria and possibly to Europe as well.

An oil pipeline from Kirkuk in Iraq to Turkey is flowing at 350,000 barrels per day, Karagoz said. It is Iraq's second-largest export route, following the Persian Gulf port of Basra where about 1.6 million bpd head to market.

The northern pipeline has been largely offline since the 2003 invasion until new protection instituted last summer.

BOTAS, the Turkish Pipeline Corp., announced in January it will study its end of a prospective natural gas pipeline that will largely run the same route as the oil line.

Last year a meeting of Iraq and its neighbors was held and a subcommittee focused on energy issues was formed.

Karagoz said a meeting between those sides will take place March 2 and 3 in Istanbul.

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Ben Lando, UPI Energy Editor

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(e-mail: blando@upi.com)