Oil facilities in Tripoli, North Lebanon. (Archive photo: NNA)
BEIRUT — Back from an official visit to Iraq, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Monday that his government is determined to "take advantage of every opportunity" that could support Lebanon's economic recovery, particularly by focusing on regional interconnection projects, citing initiatives being considered with Baghdad and Damascus. Among these opportunities is the proposed oil connection between Iraq and Lebanon, aimed at transporting crude oil from the Basra fields (southern Iraq) to the Lebanese port of Tripoli via Syria.
Presiding over the weekly Cabinet meeting at the Beirut Grand Serail, Salam reflected on his visit to Iraq Sunday, which he described as an important step in strengthening Lebanon's economic partnerships. "The government is always ready to seize every opportunity that arises in order to achieve economic recovery goals, especially in the areas of interconnection and strategic integration," he said, according to remarks reported after the meeting by Information Minister Paul Morcos. In this context, the prime minister said he spoke, upon his return from Baghdad, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. The two officials emphasized the need to strengthen regional interconnection. For the Lebanese government, the proposed oil connection between Iraq and Lebanon is "strategic" given Lebanon's storage capacities and the prospects offered by Iraq's intention to increase its oil production, Salam said. Discussions also focused on building a new refinery in North Lebanon.
The prime minister also announced the study of creating a Lebanese-Iraqi technical commission, tasked with advancing cooperation between the two countries, particularly as part of the future special economic zone. The Lebanese government also plans to rehabilitate storage tanks to facilitate overland oil transport, inspired by the current model with the Syrian port of Banias.
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