Turkey to help U.S. operate, transport Iraqi oil

Turkey will help the United States to operate and transport neighbouring Iraq’s oil as part of its drive to become an energy hub, Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler told CNN Turk on Friday. Guler visited the United States this week with President Abdullah Gul for talks with U.S. officials dominated by energy.

‘We have reached an agreement with the United States on the issue,’ Guler said. He gave no more details. Guler also said Iraq’s natural gas could be transported to European markets via Turkey. Iraq pumps crude oil exports via a pipeline to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.

Ankara’s ties with Iraq have been strained in recent months by Turkey’s aerial bombardment of separatist Kurdish PKK militants who have been using mainly Kurdish northern Iraq as a base from which to attack Turkey