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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Hala Zawati, discussed with Deputy Prime Minister for Energy and Iraqi Oil Minister, Thamir Ghadhban, in Baghdad on Thursday the developments of Iraq's export pipeline through the port of Aqaba.

Ghadhban briefed Zawati on the decision of the Iraqi government to approve the pipeline project to export Iraqi oil from the oil fields in Rumaila in Basra to the port of Aqaba.

According to a statement put out by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on Thursday, Minister Zawati stressed the importance of the Iraqi government's decision to approve the project, which transfers about one million barrels of oil per day from the city of Basra for export through the port of Aqaba on the Red Sea.

Zawati said the approval of the Iraqi government will be followed by the signing of an agreement between Jordan and Iraq, then implementation of the pipeline project, which will extend from the city of Basra to the oil refinery in Zarqa, will begin.

Jordan and Iraq agreed during the ministerial meeting held in Baghdad early this year, headed by the two countries' prime ministers, to move forward with the project, estimated to cost about $5 billion, which serves the joint interests by opening a new port for Iraq's oil exports and granting Jordan the right to buy 150,000 barrels of oil per day.

Zawati praised the brotherly relations cooperation between Jordan and Iraq, especially in the field of energy, stressing the importance of joint projects to serve mutual interests.

For his part, Andrea Fontana, the EU's Ambassador to Jordan, who attended the ceremony, said the EVS project is in line with His Majesty King Abdullah II's vision for strengthening the democratic parliamentary role, adding the Parliament should start the process of moving towards a comprehensive strategy to achieve the desired change, a goal deemed a major part of the e-parliament's work.

This bid, he affirmed, will improve efficiency of the parliamentary processes and the Parliament's practices with all transparency and efficiency.

On the EU's aid, he stressed the EU's commitment to provide continuous support to the House, noting the EVS project enhances the ability and efficiency of the House's performance in exercising its legislative and supervisory role in a professional manner.

Fontana noted the EVS project will also strengthen the openness and transparency the House is trying to reach with all public institutions,civil society and citizens.