Iraqi drilling rigs resume work in joint oil fields with Iran and Kuwait

By Fatima Kamal

Azzaman, September 19, 2009

Iraqi drilling rigs have resumed work in joint oil fields with both Iran and Kuwait, an Oil Ministry official said.

“Iraq calls on both countries to open a dialogue to draw an agreement in order to secure the rights of each party,” said Assem Jihad, the ministry’s spokesman.

He said Iraqi rigs were sent to areas jointly owned by the countries but “the move is purely to assert how best to utilize Iraqi share,” he said.

The Oil Ministry, he added, has established a commission “to pursue border demarcation in coordination with other Iraqi ministries.”

He said Iraq has already notified both Iran and Kuwait of its move “and the government still awaits their response.”

Asked what Iraq would do if the countries response was negative, he said: “So long as the oil wells are inside our territory, we have the right to develop them.”

However, he said, developing joint fields “should be a means for rapprochement with neighboring states and not a reason for troubles.”

This is an extract from http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2009-09-19%5Ckurd.htm