|
Iraq's Kurdistan PM to discuss oil deals
with Baghdad
9.12.2007
|
|
|
|
December
9, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan Region 'Iraq',--
The prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan autonomous
region will hold talks with top government officials
in Baghdad this week over a stalled draft oil law
and disputed oil contracts signed by his
administration, an official said.
Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) would meet with Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki and other officials, the national
government's spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh said late on
Saturday.
The regional government has signed a series of
petroleum deals with foreign oil firms this year,www.ekurd.net
angering the central
government. Iraq's Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani
has declared the contracts illegal.
"On Monday, Nechirvan Barzani is coming to Baghdad
to meet with Maliki and other Iraqi officials to
discuss the budget and the money for the regions,"
Dabbagh said.
"He will also discuss the oil law and the oil
contracts that Kurdistan has signed." |
Nechirvan Barzani, Prime
Minister of
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) |
The KRG has said its actions signing oil deals were
constitutional, arguing it has the right to attract
foreign firms to develop oil and gas resources in
its northern region.
The draft national oil law, which aims to share
Iraq's vast oil wealth among its different ethnic
and sectarian groups, has been stalled because of
disputes with the KRG and other political factions.
Last week Shahristani said "irreconcilable"www.ekurd.net
differences meant the
law would not be passed any time soon.
Frustrated by the delays in approving the national
law, Kurdistan passed its own in August. Baghdad
rejects that law.
The national oil law is one of a number of political
benchmarks identified by Washington as vital for
reconciliation between majority Shi'ites and
minority Sunni Arabs in Iraq.
Reuters
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 