|
Nechirvan: Baghdad will not control the oil, of all
things, again |
| Source
: up stream online |
|
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the
content of news information on this page |
|
Kurdistan PM Nechirvan: Baghdad will not control the
oil, of all things, again
17.11.2006 |
|
|
|
November 17, 2006
The prime minister of semi-autonomous Kurdistan
region of Iraq said on Wednesday he would travel to
Baghdad soon to press home his demands for control
of oil resources in his Kurdistan region northern
territories and a significant share of oil revenues.
Nechirvan Barzani has been highly critical of Iraqi
Oil Minister Hussain Shahristani, who has insisted
on central control of oil and says he wants to
review deals the Kurds have signed with foreign oil
companies, including Norway's DNO.
Senior government officials in Baghdad say they hope
for agreement by the end of the year on an oil
investment law that will resolve disagreements among
the major sectarian and ethnic factions and open the
way for much needed foreign investment, Reuters
reported.
One point at issue is how far the new constitution
gives regional governments control over existing oil
fields and new discoveries. Local powers over the
latter appear stronger.
Barzani said the constitution gave the regions a
right to be partners in all fields and also said he
wanted more transparency in how national oil
revenues were distributed to the provinces.
He would not leave Baghdad until he was satisfied,
he added.
"Baghdad will not control the oil, of all things,
again," he told reporters. "The powers we are
demanding on this are inalienable and we consider
them a red line.
"The Kurds have suffered greatly in the past in this
matter. Today our devastated districts need
reconstruction projects ... We want special funding.
The constitution gives us this."
DNO said this week it had found more oil in its
Tawke field than it expected and confirmed it would
go into production in Iraqi Kurdistan next year. |
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister
Nechirvan Barzani
Oil fields in Kurdistan Region (Iraq) |
Kurdish leaders have complained that comments by
Shahristani about reviewing contracts risk hurting
investment in the region.
upstreamonline com
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
|
|
® 