US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testified before the US Congress last week, where he stated that there is a deal with an American company to develop Syrian oil fields "under implementation", but the Syrian-Kurdish administration denied signing any agreement. The US President said a long time ago that he wanted to preserve the US forces in Syria "to secure the oil" that is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces. But realistic development in the oil fields was mired in judicial hurdles and bitter contract competition.
Pompeo and Republican Congressman Lindsey Graham hinted at the existence of a US agreement to extract oil during a session with the Foreign Relations Committee in Congress last week, which sparked feverish speculation and drove a wedge between the Kurds and the central Syrian government. Graham claimed that the Syrian Democratic Forces "signed a deal with an American oil company to modernize and develop oil fields in Syria," and Pompeo added that the agreement took more time than expected and is now "under implementation."
The deal will not be executed soon
But it seems that the deal will not be implemented as quickly as Pompeo and Graham talked about, as the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria told the National Interest that they had not signed a deal with any company yet. But an administration official, who asked not to be named, wrote a text message in which he said, "Many American and Russian companies wanted to work in the region, but none of them signed an agreement with us."
The American analyst of Syrian origin Ahd al-Hindi, who works with the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria, confirmed that there are several issues related to any potential agreement that has not been resolved yet. The Kurdish official, Abdul Hamid Al-Mahbash, who co-chairs the administration, spoke of a similar story with North Press, and Al-Mahbash said, "We intend to study the requests submitted by Russian and American companies to work in north and east Syria."
A Syrian Kurdish official confirmed to the newspaper "El Montor", that a company called "Delta Crescent LLC" had entered into an agreement with the administration without giving any details. However, he confirmed that this company, which carries a "license from the United States", has not signed a contract yet.
license
Any American citizen who wants to deal with Syrian oil must obtain a special license from the US Treasury because of the economic sanctions imposed on Syria. Delta Crescent LLC is a new company and does not have a website to access for comment. It is unclear why Pompeo and Graham announced this still-pending deal. The Kurds are still in sensitive negotiations with the Damascus government, which feels uncomfortable with the presence of its natural resources outside its control.
Matthew Beatty: National Interest Correspondent
A must for any American citizen who wants to deal
With Syrian oil obtaining a special license
From the US Treasury because of the sanctions
Economic imposed on Syria.