Syria, Iran discuss energy linkages

DAMASCUS, Syria, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The Iranian petroleum minister met in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart to discuss bilateral cooperation in oil and natural gas, the Syrians said.

Iranian Petroleum Minister Masoud Mir Kazemi and Syrian Oil Minister Sofian Alao signed a memorandum of understanding on the export of Iranian gas to Syria. They also considered a proposal to build a natural gas pipeline through Iraq to connect the countries, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reports.

Alao visited Tehran in August to discuss the possibility of shipping Iran's gas to Europe through Syrian territory. Both sides reviewed plans to build an oil refinery and infrastructure in Syria to transport Iranian oil.

Alao added that the project would have economic benefits for his country through the potential for increased port activity.

Much of the talks, the Syrian minister noted, were focused on refining activity, however.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has laid out his vision for what he describes as the Four Seas Strategy, a series of energy links to the Mediterranean, the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea and the Persian Gulf energy networks.

Ankara and Damascus plan to integrate natural gas grids and link them with the Arab Gas Pipeline that starts in Egypt and serves Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.

Plans to build a new AGP link between Syria and Turkey were signed in 2009, with completion expected this year.