Iraq/Kurdistan: Iraq, Kurdish Region Implement Deal on Oil Exports, Salaries

Nov 19, 2014 | Reuters
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The government of Iraq and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region have begun implementing a deal under which Baghdad resumes funding Kurdish civil servant salaries in return for a share of Kurdish oil exports, Iraq's finance minister said on Wednesday.

The accord aims to reduce friction between Baghdad and Kurdish authorities as they face a common threat from Islamic State insurgents who have seized large parts of the north and west of the country.

Under the agreement reached last week, Kurdish authorities committed to pump 150,000 barrels per day of oil - around half their overall shipments - to Iraqi government export tanks in the Turkish port of Ceyhan.