Turks On The List

Iraqi Al Mada daily argued that the Saddam administration distributed oil to some states, statesmen, firms, and people for free for them to object to the war of U.S. against Iraq. Those, who are on the list of 270, denied the claims.The daily published a list of states, statesmen, firms, and private persons of 270 from 46 countries, to which Saddam allegedly gave oil for free to prevent them from supporting the war. The list includes Turkish firms such as, Tekfen, Genpa, and Delta Petroleum, and persons, for instance, Mukadder Sezgin, Muhammet Aslan, and Lutfu Akdogan. While these figures are denying the report of the daily, the Iraqi Interim Governance Council decided to launch an investigation into the issue. The daily argued that its report was based on the documents of Iraqi State Oil Company (SOMO), which were in the hands of the Iraqi Oil Ministry at the time. Moreover, Abdulsahip Salman Kutlub, the Undersecretary of the Iraqi Oil Ministry, argued that U.S. was aware of this list. Â