World Bulletin / News Desk

Iraq has received "assurances" from Turkey that the latter would seek Baghdad's approval for any oil shipments coming from northern Iraq or from any other part of the country, an Iraqi government spokesman said.

"The Turkish government has assured us that no oil would be exported from any area in Iraq without the prior approval of the central government or the Petroleum Ministry," ministry spokesman Assim Jihad told Anadolu Agency on Monday.

He said that talks were still underway between Baghdad and the administration of northern Iraq regarding oil exports.

"We have yet to reach agreement on certain points of difference," Jihad said.

The spokesman added that any oil exports made without Baghdad's consent would be "considered illegal contraband."

In December, Iraq's northern region reached an agreement with the central government to export oil via Iraq’s State Organization for the Marketing of Oil (SOMO).

The two sides also agreed that oil-export revenue would be deposited in an Iraq development fund, so that it might be funneled into the government's annual budget.

However, in January, the northern Iraq administration said it planned to export oil via Turkey – a move rejected by Baghdad.