Power officials meet in Kirkuk

Photo By Staff Sgt. Anthony White | Regional energy officials discuss common issues during a meeting at the Northern Regional Control Center in Kirkuk Sept. 27. The meeting was the first face-to-face meeting in more than two years.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

09.27.2006

Story by Staff Sgt. Anthony White 

5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

by Sgt. Tony White
5th Mobile Public Affairs Det.

KIRKUK, Iraq— Handshakes and greetings were exchanged as several northern Iraqi energy officials met face-to-face for the first time in more than two years here Sept. 27.

The meeting at the Northern Regional Control Center was held primarily to stimulate conversation between officials to specifically discuss their mutual problems, including security and energy production.

Mr. Yalshen, director general of power distribution for northern Iraq welcomed everyone to the meeting and said, "It is an important step for all of us to be here together."

Previously, regional energy officials communicated through
segmented reports and telephone conversations, but this was the first opportunity for all the officials to meet at once to discuss common issues.

"This was primarily an introductory session," said Lt. Col. Jack Pritchard, 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment commander. "They certainly have not all sat down in one room and talked to each other, based on their different energy projections and information. But that is the reason we all came together today, to get on the same sheet of music."

Although the meeting was the first in a long time for these officials, the meeting was helpful, Pritchard said.

"We would like to make this a routine function, so they all can meet on common ground and figure out how to operate productively in the north," Pritchard said. "Once they begin to generate enough energy for a 24-hour supply, northern Iraq can begin to function (normally)."

Pritchard believes the right people are in place to effectively operate in northern Iraq.

"They have been working with oil and energy production their whole lives," Pritchard said. "It isn't something they just picked up after the war. Most of these men have been doing this for nearly 30 years. We should not presume to tell them how to operate their business."

• Date Taken: 09.27.2006
• Date Posted: 09.29.2006 08:55
• Story ID: 7856
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ