Jordan Times
Friday, June 13, 2008
Jordan, Iraq renew oil deal
By Hani Hazaimeh
AMMAN - His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday renewed Jordan’s support for the
Iraqi government’s efforts to restore safety, stability and unity in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Jordan and Iraq agreed to renew an oil agreement, which expires on
August 15, for another three years.
During talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, the King said safety and
stability would be anchored in Iraq through the “participation of all
constituents of the Iraqi people in a political process that aims at building
Iraq’s future and conserving its sovereignty”.
Maliki briefed the King on “efforts by the [Iraqi] government to take control of
all Iraqi regions”, according to a Royal Court statement.
The Iraqi government since March has launched two campaigns against the Shiite
Mehdi militias affiliated with cleric Moqtada Sadr and Al Qaeda’s northern urban
stronghold in Mosul.
King Abdullah stressed Jordan’s willingness to build strong ties with Iraq, the
statement said.
Maliki also held talks with Prime Minister Nader Dahabi and senior officials.
The two sides decided to renew an oil agreement signed in 2006 for three years.
At a press conference following the talks, Dahabi said the same terms and
conditions in the original deal, under which Baghdad agreed to provide the
Kingdom with between 10 and 30 per cent of its daily oil needs of around 100,000
barrels at a preferential price. But only “symbolic” land shipments made it to
the refinery due to security reasons.
Dahabi said that other routes are being considered for the oil delivery.
“Conditions are now better than in the past,” for the conveyance of Iraqi oil to
the Kingdom, Dahabi told reporters.
Maliki said Iraq is willing to supply Jordan with its oil needs, adding that his
country is now “recovering and moving from handling the security file to address
the economic file”.
The two sides also discussed the issue of debts Iraq owes Jordanian businessmen,
with Dahabi announcing that no decision has been taken in this regard, pending
the outcome of meetings of an ad hoc joint panel.
“This issue is a leftover from the former regime and it has to be solved,” the
Iraqi premier said.
Maliki also noted that the Iraqi side called on Jordan to ease the entry of
Iraqis into the Kingdom.
Upon the Iraqi government’s request, the government started a visa system
applied with the help of international courier TNT.
Maliki, who thanked Jordan for hosting Iraqis, said his delegation wants eased
entry restrictions in cases of sick people seeking treatment and Iraqis who
arrive in the country en route to other destinations.
The Iraqi delegation also requested the government to waive overstay fines on
Iraqis wishing to leave Jordan.
In February, the government announced that Iraqi nationals residing in the
Kingdom who wish to leave permanently will be fully exempted from accumulated
fines, while those who wish to stay were given two months to rectify their
status and would have their overstay fines slashed in half. In April, the
deadline was extended for another month.
Maliki said there are Iraqi families who still owe authorities money for
overstaying.
He noted that his government has set aside $195 million to assists Iraqi
families upon arriving back home.
Jordan has recently announced it would send an ambassador to Iraq, without
setting a specific date. Maliki told the presser that the location of the new
embassy in Baghdad is being prepared.