|
Kurdistan government welcomes ratifying
Iraq oil law, rejects amendments
4.7.2007
|
|
|
|
July
4, 2007
Erbil, Kurdistan region (Iraq), July 4, --
The government of Iraq's Kurdistan region said on
Wednesday that it welcomed the ratification of the
oil law by the Iraqi cabinet after making some
amendments by the Iraqi government, however it
underlined that it rejects these amendments.
"We are very happy with the Iraqi cabinet's
ratification of the oil law, however we reject these
amendments, and despite that the Kurdistan's
government is a main part of the negotiations on the
oil law, it was not updated with the ratification of
the final draft law," the Kurdistan's government
said.
"The legal committee in the Iraqi cabinet made some
amendments in the law without updating the Kurdish
government," the statement explained, adding no
further details about the nature of these
amendments.
On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
said his government approved the oil law and will
send it to parliament for ratification.
The Kurdish statement said "the Kurdistan's
government hopes that the Iraqi government did not
ratify the law with the points it had already
rejected, because it would be considered a violation
of the Kurdistan region's constitutional rights."
An official source from the oil ministry said last
month that an agreement was reached between the
federal government in Baghdad and Kurdish officials
regarding the controversial issues in the draft law.
The cabinet approved a draft oil law last February
but faced fierce opposition from Iraqi Kurds.
The draft oil and gas law for the management of oil
resources has been considered one of the most
controversial issues in Iraq, and there are
differences among political blocs on the law,
concerning the equitable distribution of revenue.
The law, if approved by the parliament, will give
Iraqi and foreign investors the right to set up
establishments and oil refineries and use them for
50 years.
Most of Iraq's known oil reserves are located in the
Shiite-dominated south and the Kurdish north.
Iraq sits on the world's third-largest oil reserves
and officials have sought, since last year, to
finalize the draft.
The law is vital for attracting foreign investment
to Iraq, to boost its oil output and rebuild its
economy.
Recent disputes have arisen after Iraq’s oil
ministry warned regions in late April against
signing contracts until the law
was passed.
The Kurdistan regional government has signed several
agreements with foreign companies.
VOI
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 