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Kurdistan parliament: PUK parliament's
members leave session during oil law debate
24.7.2007 |
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July
24, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region (Iraq), -- The
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) bloc in Kurdistan
parliament walked out of the session hall in Erbil
while discussing the draft oil and gas law, the
matter that led to the adjournment of the session, a
member of the parliament in Iraq's Kurdistan region
said on Tuesday.
"The PUK demanded at the beginning of the session to
postpone discussing the draft oil and gas law in
Kurdistan because it is an important law and should
not be approved during an extraordinary session and
during the parliament's recess, but the request was
rejected and the PUK members left the session," Arez
Abdullah said.
The parliament of Kurdistan consists of two main
blocs: the green bloc of the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan, headed by President Jalal Talabani and
the yellow bloc of the Kurdistan Democratic Party
headed by Iraq's Kurdistan President Massoud
Barazani, in addition to other parties.
"The PUK members left the session because they
believed that the law is very important as it
tackles extracting, refining and selling oil and gas
and discussing such a law needs time," the lawmaker
added, noting that the bloc demanded the
postponement of the discussion but the parliament
chairmanship rejected the request.
"Other members of the parliament left the session
also leading to the adjournment of the session," he
added.
Kurdistan's parliament has 111 members.
The parliament called its members yesterday to
attend the extraordinary session to discuss the
draft oil and gas law in Kurdistan, despite the
parliament's vacation which started on July 1 and
continue till early September.
The draft oil and gas law for the management of oil
resources is considered one of the most
controversial issues in Iraq, and there are
differences among political blocs on the law
regarding the equitable distribution of revenue.
Most of Iraq's known oil reserves are located in the
Shiite-dominated south and Kurdistan region in the
north.
Iraq sits on the world's third-largest oil reserves
and officials have sought, since last year, to
finalize the draft law.
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
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