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No major changes made to Iraq oil draft
law accepted by Kurdistan government
8.7.2007
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July
8, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region (Iraq), Jul 8,
-- The spokesman for the Iraqi government Ali al-Dabbagh
said on Sunday no major changed were made to the
draft law ratified last week by the Iraqi cabinet as
he handed over a copy of the law to the Kurdistan
government, while the Kurdish House Speaker voiced
support to a possible reshuffle in the central
government.
"A copy of the ratified oil law was handed over to
Kurdistan government. The amendments were only
concerning legal wording and not affecting the
general context of the law. It never touched on
central issues in the law," Al-Dabbagh said after a
meeting with Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Adnan
al-Mufti.
The Iraqi government spokesman added "The Kurdish
officials did not reject the law and they are
expected to announce their stand vis-à-vis the law."
Iraqi cabinet ratified on Tuesday the draft oil and
gas law after some amendments were made by the
cabinet legal committee to the draft before sending
it to the parliament, leading Iraq' Kurdistan prime
minister Nechirvan Barzani to talk about a possible
Kurdish rejection of the law if major changes were
introduced to the initial draft that the Kurds
accepted.
Al-Dabbagh ruled out a possible rejection of the law
by the parliamentary blocs, saying "I do not think
that the law will be rejected by parliamentary blocs
as it has many positive points making it one of the
most progressive laws badly needed for the economy
of Iraq."
"The (Blocs') stands should be taken in view of the
interest of the country, its people and its oil
infrastructure away from political blackmailing," he
added. As regards the efforts being made to form a
new political alliance, the spokesman said "these
efforts are related to the political blocs and are
not envisioned by the government, though they may
enhance the role of the government at the end."
"The efforts are leading towards a significant
ministerial reshuffle that might refrom the cabinet
properly," the spokesman said.
Reports said that a new alliance, named "Moderates'
Voices", will be formed soon. It is expected to
include the Shiite Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council,
Daawa party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and
the Democratic Kurdistan Party. The Sunni Iraqi
Islamic Party is also among the list of parties
expected to join the new alliance.
As for reports on possible decrease in number of
Iraqi portfolios, al-Dabbagh said "there are many
proposals and ideas on that, but they should receive
the approval of all the parties participating in the
political process."
Meanwhile, Kurdistan House Speaker Adnan al-Mufti
expressed support to the expected reshuffle in
Maliki's government saying "we support al-Maliki in
his effort to form a new government as the present
situation needs reconsideration. Many problems
arouse as some ministers suspended their membership
in cabinet and others boycotted its sessions
affecting the work in the ministries."
At present, there are 12 vacant portfolios in the
37-ministry-Iraqi cabinet after ministers loyal to
the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr withdrew from the
government and five ministers from the Sunni Tawafuq
(Accordance) Front boycotted the cabinet sessions
and after the resignation of the Justice Minister.
As regards the Turkish threats to launch an
incursion into northern Iraq, the Iraqi government
spokesman said "any Turkish incursion under the
pretext of chasing fighters of the Turkish Kurdish
workers' party (PKK) is totally rejected by all
Iraqis. All the Iraqi parties strongly reject any
kind of incursion as Iraq is a sovereign country."
"Iraq is not a place for others to solve their
problems on its soil and the Iraqi government and
Kurdistan government have so far showed highest
levels of self-restrain towards these threats," al-Dabbagh
concluded.
Iraq's northern borders with Turkey have recently
seen tensions due to the repeated artillery shelling
of the areas which the Turkish officials claim to
host hideouts to fighters of the Turkish banned
Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).The spokesman for the
Iraqi government Ali al-Dabbagh arrived in Arbil on
Saturday and met with Iraq's Kurdistan President
Massoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan
Barazani.
VOI
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