(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A Turkish company will carry out joint oil exploration in northern Iraq with US oil giant ExxonMobil, the prime minister said, cited by the local media on Wednesday.
"An agreement has been concluded with Exxon Mobil for exploration in northern Iraq," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet newspaper.
"This is a step taken with the regional Iraqi Kurdish administration," he added.
Erdogan, who began a key trip to the United States on Tuesday, also said that details of the partnership would be clarified during his talks with US officials.
The Turkish premier did not identify the Turkish company that is ExxonMobil's partner in the project.
On March 29, Erdogan said Ankara was discussing the terms of an energy partnership with Iraqi Kurds, in the first public confirmation of a project that could aggravate tensions in the powder keg region. The partnership which runs parallel to Turkey's ambitions to become a regional energy hub threatens to worsen a long-running dispute between Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq over how to develop the country's energy wealth.
It is also raising eyebrows in Washington, where there are concerns that it could tip the volatile country towards disintegration.
Erdogan hailed Turkey's energy cooperation with Iraqi Kurds as "win-win" for both sides.
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