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Xinhua (27 January 2019)

BAGHDAD

Iraqi Oil Minister Thamir al-Ghadhban Sunday said that Iraq will supply neighboring Jordan with oil in accordance with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be signed after the approval of both governments.

Al-Ghadhban's comment came during his meeting with Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati during her visit to Baghdad.

The two officials discussed bilateral cooperation in the fields of oil, gas and electricity, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil.

"We have discussed the supply of Iraqi oil to Jordan according to an MoU that will be signed later after obtaining the approval of the governments of the two countries," the statement quoted al-Ghadhban as saying.

The two ministers also discussed extending an oil export pipeline between Rumaila, in Iraq's southern province of Basra, and Aqaba, Jordanian port, in addition to the project of electric connection between the two countries, the statement said.

For her part, Zawati said "the visit came within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations to discuss topics of common interests in the fields of energy, oil and gas," according to the statement.

In mid-1990s, Iraq began supplying Jordan with crude oil at preferential prices, in addition to giving it a free share of oil in exchange for goods as part of an economic agreement that renews annually between the two countries.

In 2013, the two countries signed an agreement to build a pipeline to transport Iraqi crude oil from Basra in the south of the country to export terminals at the Jordanian port of Aqaba at a total cost of about 18 billion U.S. dollars and a capacity of 1 million barrels per day.

The project was discussed by the two sides during the visit of King Abdullah II of Jordan to Baghdad on Jan. 14.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-01/28/c_137779746.htm