Turkey offers to help Sudan prospect for oil, natural gas

Mar 15, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen has held discussions with various Sudanese ministers and informed them that Turkey is willing to assist Sudan in prospecting oil and natural gas reserves in that country.

Tuzmen and his 130 men delegation of Turkish bureaucrats and entrepreneurs are continuing to have talks with Sudanese officials, to develop bilateral trade, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.

On the second day of his visit to Khartoum, Tuzmen noted that Sudan has extensive natural resources which could not be utilized due to recent civil war.

According to Tuzmen, Sudan has rich reserves of gold and chromium in the south, in addition to oil. “I informed the Sudanese officials that Turkey can help Sudan prospect oil and natural gas reserves.

Currently, Chinese and Indian firms are waiting to be assigned the job of prospecting oil and natural gas reserves in Sudan,” commented Tuzmen.

If Turkey wins the tender of oil and natural gas prospecting, it will offer a comprehensive service which would include prospecting, processing and selling the oil and natural gas.

“Furthermore, Turkey will receive a certain percentage from oil and natural gas sales. We have to think about Turkey’s future,” stressed Tuzmen.

(ST)