Iraq to build oil pipeline to a Red Sea terminal

Pressured by the Persian Gulf war, Iraq has decided to build a pipeline from its southern oil fields across Saudi Arabia to an export terminal on the Red Sea coast, the Middle East Economic Survey reports.

The authoritative survey called the decision momentous -- involving a major change of direction in transportation of exports from the southern oil fields. Iraq's oil terminals in the gulf, at Khor al-Amaya and Mina al-Bakr, were badly damaged by Iranian air and naval action during the war and even if the fighting ended soon the terminals would take a long time to repair, it said.