71. U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has said major oil producers could make up for any shortages caused by a disruption of Iraqi exports. 72. U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said earlier that Washington would tap the U.S Strategic Petroleum Reserve to counter any halt in Iraqi exports. 73. World oil prices were not expected to fall with the resumption of Iraqi exports, at least in the short term. 74. Fourteen oil experts are to monitor Iraqi exports at the Turkish border and on the Gulf coast. 75. A combination of the Iraqi export halt, OPEC export cuts and improved demand was also starting to tighten the market, he added. 76. A team of UN technical experts travelled to southern Iraq on Sunday to inspect oil installations ahead of the resumption of Iraqi crude exports, officials said. 77. A team of United Nations technical experts travelled to southern Iraq on Sunday to inspect oil installations ahead of the resumption of Iraqi crude exports, officials said. 78. Aides said there was a consensus among the ministers that early partial resumption of Iraqi exports would have little impact on crude oil prices in the months immediately ahead. 79. Analysts said concerns over a reduction in Iraqi exports, which on Monday drove prices to their highest level in over three weeks, appeared to have been exaggerated. 80. Any such military action would lead the United Nations to suspend limited Iraqi exports that started flowing for the first time in six years last December. |