Kurdish Regional Autonomy renews crude exports to Turkey in an open opposition to Iraqi national government. Turkey and the USA divided on Arbil energy policy.
A sort of energy devolution is the motivation Genel Energy company used to renew crude supplies from Kurdistan to Turkey on Tuesday 1/8.
As Bloomberg reported, on December 2012 the Autonomous Republic of Kurdistan halted fuel export via Iraqi national pipelines to protest against Baghdad central government's decision not to consider contracts between Kurdish regional government and several world energy concerns - US ExxonMobil and French Total - as valid.
Moreover, Kurdish Authorities planed the realization of several pipelines to export crude, oil and gas to Turkey bypassing Iraqi national government's control. According to Arbil expectations, Kurdistan will export one million of barrels per day to Turkey.
Kurdistan's energy project is supported by Turkey, which is going to realize a gas supplies diversification's plan, in order to decrease Ankara's energy dependence on Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran.
In addition to the growing LNG import from Algeria and Qatar, Turkey is considering to increase also Kurdish fuel import as an alternative to Iran's oil and gas supplies.
Because of Western Community's sanctions on Teheran's non authorized nuclear project, Iran could decrease energy supplies to Turkey, provoking problems to Turkish national economy.
On the other hand, Kurdistan energy policy is opposed by the USA, which consider Iraq as an important country, whose stability and unity must be ensured and guaranteed.
Despite of good relationship with Turkey, and several US energy company working in Kurdistan, Washington suggested Ankara not so openly support of Arbil energy plans, in order to guarantee Iraqi political unity and maintain the stability in the Middle East.
Matteo Cazzulani
