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Bush says he's keeping eye on Kurdistan
oil deal
21.9.2007
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September 21, 2007
WASHINGTON, -- In a White House news
conference, U.S. President George W. Bush on
Thursday again defended his "surge" strategy in
Iraq, acknowledging that while goals haven't been
met as fast as he would like, the fight must
continue.
He said those goals include a country that can
govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself and
is an ally against extremists and radicals.
Bush has repeatedly said the point of his surge
strategy in Iraq is to give the Iraqi government the
security it needs to seek reconciliation in the
divided country. One part of that effort was a
national oil law that would let all Iraqis share the
revenues of their country’s most valuable natural
resource. That law has been a long time coming and
is still stalled in Iraq's parliament.
Meanwhile, the regional government of the Kurds in
northern Iraq has signed a separate contract
allowing the Hunt Oil Company of Texas -- owned by a
Bush supporter -- to drill for oil on its territory.
'I Knew Nothing' |
US President George W. Bush speaks during a press
conference at the White House in Washington, DC AFP
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Bush was asked how he
feels about the Hunt deal, and whether it's a factor
in the delay of the national revenue-sharing law.
At the press briefing room President Bush said "Our
embassy also expressed concern about it. I knew
nothing about the deal. I'm -- I need to know
exactly how it happened," Bush said. "To the extent
that it does undermine the ability for the
government to come up with [an] oil revenue-sharing
plan that unifies the country, obviously I'm -- if
it undermines that, I'm concerned." Full text of
President Bush's news conference on Thursday can be
found here
But Bush added that he hasn't lost hope in the
nationwide oil law. He said once it is passed, the
country's Sunni, Shi'as, and Kurds will recognize
that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government is
serious about reconciliation.
Bush also was asked about the recent deaths of Iraqi
civilians in a firefight in Baghdad involving
employees of Blackwater USA, a private U.S. security
contractor. At least 11 Iraqis were killed,
according to local officials, and the Iraqi
government has revoked Blackwater's license to
operate there.
Bush expressed sorrow at the deaths, but said
Blackwater had been required to follow strict rules
when confronting a suspected threat. He said a joint
U.S.-Iraqi panel will determine exactly what
happened.
"The folks [who work at companies] like Blackwater,
who provide security for the State Department, are
under rules of engagement," he said. "In other
words, they have certain rules. And this commission
will determine whether or not they violated those
rules. And I'm looking forward to finding out what
the results are."
Ahmadinejad Comments
On another subject, one reporter asked about recent
comments by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner
that the world should be prepared for war with Iran
if Tehran acquires nuclear weapons.
Bush replied that the United States and its allies
are still trying to resolve Iran's nuclear ambitions
through diplomacy. Yet he expressed concern about
some of the more strident statements made by Iranian
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.
"It's very important for us to take the threats
coming out of the mouth of the president of Iran
very seriously," Bush said.
"This is a person that is, you know, constantly
talks about the use of force on Israel, for example,
and Israel's our very firm and strong ally."
rferl org | whitehouse gov
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