The Kurdistan Region will strengthen its power... An American report monitors Russian tactics in Ira

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[size=52]The Kurdistan Region will strengthen its power... An American report monitors Russian tactics in Iraq[/size]

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2023-12-15
The American “International Policy Digest” website highlighted the growing Russian role in the oil and gas sector in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, considering that Moscow is making strategic progress, with Beijing as its ally, towards controlling the energy and investment scene in Iraq, in an attempt to distance Baghdad from its Western ties. In this field.[/size]
[size=45]After the American report indicated that Russia's share in the Iraqi energy sector would reach $19 billion, it recalled that the state-owned Dhi Qar Oil Company had approved plans to develop the reserves of Area 10, a sector that includes the entire Eridu field, which is the most important oil discovery on Iraqi soil since The year 2003, when estimates indicate that the Eridu oil field contains reserves ranging between 7 and 10 billion barrels.[/size]
[size=45]Russian “Lukoil”.[/size]
[size=45]The report pointed out that the withdrawal of the Japanese company “Inpex” from its 40% stake in Area 10, which includes the huge discovery in Eridu, facilitated the way for the Russian company “Lukoil” to assert its dominance over this resource-rich area, while the exit of “ExxonMobil” “From the profitable West Qurna oil field in Basra, it allowed the Russian company to regain its shares.[/size]
[size=45]The report considered that the fabric of military and energy cooperation between Russia and Iraq paints a picture of the increasingly deep cooperation relations between them, noting that a company such as “Lukoil” has allocated about 11 billion dollars to the southern governorates, especially in the Basra region.[/size]
[size=45]The report continued that the maritime sector also stands out as a fertile ground for Russian-Iraqi cooperation, adding that in light of Iraq’s strategic location on vital maritime channels, which is complemented by the experienced Russian experience in developing ports and maritime logistics services, it makes the convergence of interests unambiguously clear.[/size]
[size=45]The report added that such cooperative projects, which aim to develop Iraqi port infrastructure and enhance maritime cooperation, will significantly enhance the efficiency and productivity of Iraq's maritime trade crossings, which will attract increasing investment flows.[/size]
[size=45]Russian strategy[/size]
[size=45]The report raises questions about the motives behind Russia's strategic shift in the region, and whether Russian and Chinese strategic projects in Iraq and its neighborhood amount to a correction of historical injustices dating back to the post-World War I era.[/size]
[size=45]The report also questions the repercussions of oil and gas resources in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on Russian geopolitical ambitions, adding, “What historical and political narratives might the Russian presence in the region write for Iraq and the Kurdish population?”[/size]
[size=45]After the report pointed out that players in the energy sector must pay attention to the seismic shifts that have occurred in recent years, especially in light of the emergence of the Corona epidemic, which has reshaped the behavior of the leading stakeholders in the world’s oil market and redefined political and diplomatic strategies at the regional level, it was considered The report states that Russia began what it called its “strategic manipulation” in the Kurdistan Region.[/size]
[size=45]The report explained that “Rosneft” and “Gazprom”, the two giant companies that operate as an extension of the Russian state apparatus, although their endeavors carry commercial goals, they serve the directives of the Russian government, the vision of Vladimir Putin, and a large number of businessmen whose wealth is linked to the ability to Uninterrupted access to global energy reserves, noting, for example, that “Rosneft” has emerged since 2018 as a strong arm of Russian state interests, as its importance has emerged through huge investments across Russia’s main foreign policy fields, which extend across the Arctic, China, Vietnam and Venezuela. Africa and the Middle East.[/size]
[size=45]Kurdistan Region[/size]
[size=45]The report indicated an important event that occurred in June 2017. A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government, headed by then Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and Minister of Natural Resources Ashti Hawrami, participated in the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, and the forum, which culminated in It attracted 130 national leaders and 12,000 participants, with an important contract with Rosoil.[/size]
[size=45]The report said that through the agreement concluded between the Kurdistan Region and “Rosneft,” an investment worth one billion dollars was allocated to build a liquefied gas pipeline from the region to the markets identified by “Rosneft,” adding that since 2017, this company has provided loans worth 3.5 billion. dollars to the Kurdistan Regional Government, and concluded deals to develop five oil areas.[/size]
[size=45]He continued, saying that this agreement gained greater importance when the two most important American energy companies, Exxon Mobil and Chevron, evacuated several fields in the Kurdistan Region between 2015 and 2016.[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that in the midst of the military offensive against ISIS, the federal government in Baghdad withheld financial support for the Kurdistan Region, including financial allocations to the Peshmerga forces.[/size]
[size=45]He added that as the region approached the referendum on independence in 2017, it was clear that Washington would not support the Kurds against Baghdad or support their quest to obtain political sovereignty, noting that despite voting in favor of independence, the Kurdish referendum was thwarted due to pressure from the Iraqi government and the absence of Support from Washington.[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that with regard to Iraq, the end game of Russian maneuvers became clear through effective Russian dominance over the oil and gas sectors in the Kurdistan Region, explaining that the grip was tightened through a three-pronged strategy.[/size]
[size=45]This strategy was represented by upfront financing of $1.5 billion through advanced oil sales, an 80% operating stake in the five pivotal oil blocks in the region, and a 60% stake in the important pipeline previously established by the Kurdistan Regional Government.[/size]
[size=45]The report added that this pipeline, scheduled to invest $1.8 billion to raise its capacity to one million barrels per day, has since become the cornerstone of Russian influence in the region.[/size]
[size=45]The report considered that the final step in the Russian tactics of its plan is to seamlessly integrate the Kurdistan Region with the rest of Iraq, and that the Russian goal in 2017 was not only to expand Russian influence in Iraq, but rather to maneuver in the Kurdistan Region as a prelude to broader hegemony towards southern Iraq, adding that Russia thus aims to master the idea of ​​unifying northern and southern Iraq under its influence, which confirms its long-standing expansionist ambitions.[/size]
[size=45]Shared history[/size]
[size=45]The report stated that Russia's participation in Iraq and the energy sector in the Kurdistan Region appeared as an important development in the geopolitical scene, pointing out that the origins of trade and investment relations between the two regions go back to a complex past.[/size]
[size=45]He pointed to the trade routes in the Middle Ages extending along the Volga River and the Caspian Sea, leading to the establishment of official diplomatic relations in 1944, where the foundation for a strategic alliance was laid, and that this link was further strengthened when Russian President Vladimir Putin relieved Iraq of many of its debts. It dates back to the Soviet era in 2008, paving the way for a $4 billion oil deal and reflecting deeper economic engagement.[/size]
[size=45]The report continued, however, that the political climate was not always conducive to achieving sustained progress, pointing out in this context that Kirkuk, the cradle of the Iraqi oil industry, witnessed its share of turmoil.[/size]
[size=45]He added that the memorandum of understanding that British Petroleum signed in 2013 with the North Oil Company, affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, represents a promising development in the field of exploration and field research.[/size]
[size=45]He continued that the invasion of ISIS and the subsequent control of the Kirkuk oil fields by Kurdish forces hindered operations, which led to the eventual exit of BP, leaving behind its work and not achieving a potential transformative productivity increase, indicating that “this departure opened the door for companies.” Russia to strengthen its presence in the region.”[/size]
[size=45]Conclusion[/size]
[size=45]The report concluded by saying that Russia's strategic interests in the region go beyond simple economic relations, explaining that the concept of Eurasia, which constitutes the cornerstone of Russian geopolitical thought, reflects an ambition to change the unipolar system of global governance.[/size]
[size=45]He continued, saying that this goal is demonstrated by Russia's desire to maintain its presence in the strategic energy basins, which are historically dominated by Western powers.[/size]
[size=45]He added that Turkey's strategic location in the heart of Eurasia emphasizes its importance in any energy transactions emanating from the Kurdistan Region or Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]He continued, saying, “The energy sector in the Kurdistan Region, with its complex political economy and national security challenges, is awaiting a comprehensive strategic project to enhance its natural resources, and that such an initiative would enable the region to undergo a geopolitical transformation, and increase its political, economic, diplomatic and security power.”[/size]
[size=45]The American report concluded by saying that the increasing Russian interference in the energy sectors in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region reflects a broader pattern of economic ambition and strategic location, but the path to strengthening these relations is full of challenges, both internal and external.[/size]
[size=45]He added, “Geopolitical tensions, international sanctions, and the complex regulatory environment create major obstacles to economic cooperation, and therefore engaging in ongoing dialogue at the bilateral and regional levels is considered necessary to address these concerns and promote a stable environment for economic cooperation.”[/size]
[size=45]He concluded by saying that strengthening the financial infrastructure and exploring alternative financing mechanisms may reduce financial barriers and facilitate trade and investment flows between Russia and Iraq.[/size]
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