Syrian Energy Minister to visit Iraq for talks on Kirkuk–Baniyas pipeline revival
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir will visit Iraq soon to discuss plans for rehabilitating the oil pipeline linking Kirkuk in northern Iraq to Syria's Baniyas port on the Mediterranean.
In an interview with Syria's state-run al-Ikhbariya TV, al-Bashir considered the discussions as part of strengthening the relations with Baghdad.
The Kirkuk–Baniyas line, once a key crude export route, was built by the Iraq Petroleum Company and began operations in 1952. It has been shut down repeatedly over the decades due to political disputes and regional conflicts. The pipeline was heavily damaged during US airstrikes in the 2003 Iraq war and has remained inactive since.
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