EU: Iraq offers Europe increased gas and oil supplies this year

EU officials say Iraq has offered to increase its supply of natural gas to the 27-nation bloc over the next three years. The European Commission says the offer was made during talks Wednesday between Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani and EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. The EU head office said Iraq "made a political gesture of goodwill" promising to export at least 5 billion cubic meters of gas to the European market. The Commission says Iraq has also said it would increase its oil production to reach 3 million barrels per day by the end of this year.