Thursday, January 04, 2007
Turkish trade with Iraq booms
Trade
Turkish exports to Iraq are booming despite political differences.The Turks are using the relatively quiet Kurdish north as a base for their exports to Iraq. Iraq currently relies heavily on imports to meet domestic needs including fuel, thought it sits on massive oil reserves. Iraq’s import bill is estimated at $15 billion and at least one third of it goes to Turkey which has set up a permanent trade exhibition in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil. Turkish contractors are carrying out several projects in the Kurdish north whose markets brim with Turkish imports.
The surge in trade comes amid strains in political relations as both the Kurdish authorities and the central government complain of Ankara’s ties with certain political factions in the country. Late last year Turkey hosted a conference by Iraqi opposition groups, namely Sunni factions bent on driving U.S. troops out of Iraq. The meeting drew criticism from the government and President Jalal Talabani. The Turks openly support demands by Iraqi Turkmen for some form of autonomy in their areas in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk which the Kurds want to add to their territory. The Turkmen oppose Kurds’ attempts to annex Kirkuk and have vowed to do whatever it takes not to let that happen.
The surge in trade comes amid strains in political relations as both the Kurdish authorities and the central government complain of Ankara’s ties with certain political factions in the country. Late last year Turkey hosted a conference by Iraqi opposition groups, namely Sunni factions bent on driving U.S. troops out of Iraq. The meeting drew criticism from the government and President Jalal Talabani. The Turks openly support demands by Iraqi Turkmen for some form of autonomy in their areas in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk which the Kurds want to add to their territory. The Turkmen oppose Kurds’ attempts to annex Kirkuk and have vowed to do whatever it takes not to let that happen.
