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Nechirvan
Barzani, Iraqi Kurdish PM Discusses ISG Report, Iraqi Oil Law |
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Nechirvan Barzani
Iraqi Kurdish PM
Discusses ISG Report, Iraqi Oil Law
9.12.2006
By Margaret Besheer, Erbil, Kurdistan Region (Iraq)
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The report published
this week by a bipartisan U.S. panel urging policy
changes in Iraq has not been warmly received in
northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region,
particularly its recommendation on how Iraq's oil
wealth should be distributed. VOA's Margaret Besheer
sat down with the regional prime minister, who says
the report does not reflect realities on the ground.
December 9,
2006
Iraq's Kurdistan region is often overlooked by
outside observers because it suffers none of the
sectarian
violence plaguing Baghdad and other parts of the
country.
But the prime minister of the semi-autonomous
region, Nechirvan Barzani, tells VOA that is no
reason for the U.S. commission reviewing U.S. policy
in Iraq to have neglected visiting the area when
they were preparing their 79 recommendations for
President Bush. |
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister
Nechirvan Barzani |
"They stayed just inside [the] Green Zone, and [for]
just a few days inside the Green Zone," he said.
"They did not come to Kurdistan, or to anywhere, to
see the real situation on the ground."
The Green Zone is a secure area in Baghdad where
U.S. troops and government officials are housed.
Mr. Barzani is particularly upset about the Iraq
Study Group's recommendations for dividing the
country's oil wealth, particularly as there are
sensitive internal negotiations going on now in
Baghdad to draft a new national oil law.
Iraq possesses more than 100 billion barrels of
proven oil reserves, so the stakes are high.
The Iraq Study Group's report urges equitable
distribution of oil revenues, saying it is necessary
to the process of national reconciliation. This
option is attractive to Iraq's minority Sunni Arabs.
But Iraq's Kurds, including Mr. Barzani, and also
its majority Shi'ites - who sit on much of the
country's oil reserves - oppose this, preferring
instead to follow the Iraqi constitution, which
allocates all regions of Iraq a proportion of oil
profits relative to their population.
The Kurds are generally considered to be 17 percent
of the population. However, if an expected census is
conducted next year, Mr. Barzani says their share is
more likely to increase than decrease.
"Our point is, because we do not have any census in
Iraq, we told Baghdad, you should keep 17 percent
for the Kurds, until you finish that census, and
then, according to the constitution, it will be
adjusted, and we will accept that," he added.
He says Iraqi oil revenues should also go to a
special account outside the country, which would
automatically transfer their share from that account
directly to the regional government's account.
In Baghdad, as the new oil law is hashed out, the
version the Kurds would like to see approved would
allow them to retain the right to sign oil deals
with foreign countries and keep the proceeds for
themselves, which they contend is their right under
the Iraqi constitution.
Negotiations on the draft oil law will resume this
week, and Mr. Barzani will go to Baghdad to take
part.
Also on his agenda there is the annual budget. Right
now, he says, the Kurdistan region does not receive
any of the money allocated for national security,
something he would like to see changed.
"Our point is, we are part of the security in Iraq,
and they should allocate some budget for security in
this region," he said. "You should give us our
share. If the situation here is good, it is because
we try hard to be like that. We need more help, more
assistance."
Mr. Barzani said he was disappointed that the last
round of Baghdad talks did not yield any significant
results, but he tells VOA, he is hopeful that this
trip will see some of these issues resolved.
voanews com
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