AMMAN, 11 April 2003ܔThe Jordanian government denied yesterday it had approached Israel to discuss the possible reopening of a trans-Jordan pipeline from Iraq to Israel. The denial came in the wake of a media report that an Israeli government source had said that Israeli National Infrastructure Minister Joseph Paritzky would meet Jordanian officials to talk about restarting the Haifa pipeline.
The pipeline transported Iraqi oil before 1948 from Mosul to the
northern Palestinian port of Haifa during the British mandate
period. However, a statement from the Jordanian Ministry of Energy
said that the reports have no foundation or truth
whatsoever
. Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Al-Muasher also
denied the reports on Al-Jazeera television, calling them devoid of
truth
.
The Jordanian government has not contacted (Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel) Sharon’s office or any Israeli government official
regarding this issue,
Muasher told Al-Jazeera.
The flow of Iraqi oil to Haifa stopped in 1948 with the end of the British mandate and the start of the occupation of Palestine.
In other oil news, the Jordanian Ministry of Energy still refuses to elaborate on a report in the Middle East Economic Survey stating that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will supply Jordan with three months’ supply of crude oil for free as a form of government aid.
But, according to the general manager of the Kuwaiti media in Jordan,
Hamidi Al-Mutari, Kuwait and the UAE will be sending 25,000 barrels
per day (bpd) whereas Saudi Arabia will supply Jordan with 50,000 bpd,
and that all governments involved are discussing the mechanics of the
operation.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi border post at Trebil, the only crossing into Jordan, was sacked yesterday morning after its border guards disappeared overnight, Peter Kessler, the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.
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