AMMAN, 20 September 2007 — Jordan will receive first shipment of Iraqi oil shortly, the state-run Jordan Petra news agency reported yesterday.
“Petra has learnt that the first shipment of Iraqi crude is currently on its way to Jordanian territory,” the agency said without giving further details.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki yesterday assured his Jordanian counterpart Marouf Bakhit that the Iraqi government was “committed to supplying Jordan with part of its oil requirements in compliance with a memorandum of understanding” that was signed between the two countries last year.
Jordanian Energy Minister Khalid Sheraydeh said recently that the Iraqi government had informed Jordan about its “readiness to start supplying the Kingdom with Iraqi crude.”
He pointed out that the memorandum of understanding that was signed during Bakhit’s visit to Baghdad provided for supplying Jordan with 10,000 barrels of crude per day at the beginning. “The quantity will increase gradually to cover Jordan’s total daily consumption” of 100,000 barrels, he said.
During a rare visit to Baghdad by Bakhit in August last year, the two countries reach agreement for providing Jordan with Iraqi oil at “preferential prices.” But the two countries failed to implement the accord so far because they were unable to ensure protection for oil tankers.