Iraq, Syria Consider Restoring Oil Pipeline

(MENAFN) Iraq and Syria held discussions on Tuesday about the potential revival of the Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline, as outlined in a statement from the office of the Iraqi prime minister.

This dialogue unfolded during a gathering in Baghdad between Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir.

According to the statement, the two officials “reviewed the prospects for bilateral relations and ways to enhance them in various fields, particularly in the energy sector, in a manner that serves the interests of both brotherly peoples.”

The meeting emphasized deepening cooperation across several domains, with a strong focus on energy partnerships.

The discussion included “the possibility of reviving the Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline,” based on efforts to establish a collaborative technical team tasked with evaluating the current state of the pipeline.

This team would also investigate methods for restoring it, viewing the pipeline as part of the broader governmental strategy to broaden its export routes.

Originally constructed in 1952, the Kirkuk–Baniyas pipeline was designed to move crude oil from Iraq’s Kirkuk oil fields to the Syrian port city of Baniyas on the Mediterranean.

Over the years, it has seen several interruptions in operation, the most recent occurring in 2003 when it sustained significant damage during the US invasion of Iraq.

Since then, it has remained nonfunctional and unrepaired.

In addition to the pipeline, the meeting also addressed “joint opportunities to advance oil and petrochemical industries projects on the Mediterranean coast,” as well as prospects for enhanced cooperation in tackling climate change and managing water distribution within the Euphrates River Basin.

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