Iraq halted oil shipments through the Turkish port of Ceyhan late on Thursday, a spokeswoman for the Turkish state oil and gas company Botas said Friday.
She said Iraq had not given Turkey prior notice of the move. The authoritative Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) had earlier said that Iraq intended to halt its oil exports from midnight Baghdad time (2100 GMT) on Thursday unless buyers agreed to pay a surcharge of $0.50 a barrel.
The move coincided with the end of the latest 180-day phase of the UN's oil-for-food programme, which allows Iraq limited exports of its oil.
The country is subject to sanctions put in place following its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
Iraq's move comes amid world market tension over high oil prices.—AFP.
©--Agence France Presse.
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
