|
Kurdistan Government: Iraq's oil minister
has no authority to question the legitimacy of
contracts awarded by the KRG
12.9.2007
|
|
|
|
Iraq's Kurdistan government responds to Iraq's oil
minister statements on oil deal with Texas's Hunt
Oil Co.
September 12, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan Region (Iraq).
Kurdistan Regional Government, The Spokesman
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) would like
to make it clear that Dr Shahristani's recent
remarks about the legality of the
KRG's oil and gas contracts are totally
unacceptable. His views are irrelevant to what the
KRG is doing legally and constitutionally in
Kurdistan. Dr Shahristani should concentrate on
making a positive contribution to the country,
rather than undermining the constructive work that
the KRG is carrying out for the benefit of all the
Iraqi people.
|
 |
Dr Shahristani was already strongly advised to stay
out of issues over which he has no authority. But
once again he has repeated his false mantra of “it
is illegal”. Unfortunately this has been his way of
dealing with the legitimate concerns of the hard
working oil union members in the south, with the
achievements of the KRG or with any other
organisation that he does not like.
Dr Shahristani has no authority to question the
legitimacy of contracts awarded by the KRG acting
under the powers of the newly enacted law passed by
the unanimous decision of the Regional Parliament
and according to the new Iraq constitution.
We suggest that the Minister concentrates on his
real task of preventing illegal oil smuggling under
his watch, which is crippling the Iraqi economy, and
removing the unconstitutional obstacles that he has
created against the agreed draft oil law, so that it
can go to the Iraqi parliament in its agreed form.
As far as we know this would be consistent with
government policy, but if he cannot do that, he
should do the decent thing and step aside as the
Iraqi oil industry deserves better.
The KRG would also like Dr Shahristani to explain
why, during his frequent visits to some neighbouring
countries he recommended to their authorities that
they should not supply fuel products to KRG, as in
his view “this will undermine the Oil Law in Iraq”?
What is the connection between the KRG’s fuel supply
and the Oil Law? We can only conclude from his
behaviour that he has a personal grudge or vendetta
against the Kurdish people.
On the Oil Law, we would like to remind Dr
Shahristani that most of Saddam’s oil-related laws
are inconsistent with the new federal constitution
and cannot apply. No company will dare to sign
agreements under such laws. Furthermore, all
Saddam’s laws have been nullified in Kurdistan under
the newly passed oil and gas law of the Region. Once
again Dr Shahristani appears to prefer Saddam’s laws
over laws enacted according to the new constitution.
The answer is not to stick to Saddam’s laws, which
is merely an act of desperation, or to invite the
anti-oil law campaigners to conferences to attack
the constitution. The answer is to get on with the
agreed draft oil law and present it without changes
to the parliament. That way we will all get on with
the task of developing the oil industry for the
benefit of the people.
( KRG org )
The autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
said on Saturday it had
signed the production sharing
contract with a unit of U.S.-based Hunt Oil Co. and
with Impulse Energy Corp.
The deal covers exploration activity in the Duhok
area. Hunt Oil Co. of the Kurdistan Region will
begin geological survey and seismic work by the end
of 2007 and has plans to drill an exploration well
in 2008.
The regional government has signed five production
sharing agreements earlier with foreign companies.
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 