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US says oil firms should respect Baghdad
government
21.8.2012 |
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State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. Photo:
C-Spanvideo.org
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August 21, 2012
WASHINGTON,— The United States said
Monday that oil companies should not bypass Iraq's
central government after authorities in the
autonomous Kurdistan north signed dozens of deals
with foreign energy firms.
"With regard to our own companies, we continue to
tell them that signing contracts for oil exploration
or production with any region of Iraq without
approval from the federal Iraqi authorities exposes
them to potential legal risk," State Department
spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters.
The United States has told companies that "obviously
they'll make their own business decisions, but
unless and until we have federal legislation in Iraq
governing these things -- something that we've been
urging -- that there are risks for them," she said.
Companies including Chevron and ExxonMobil from the
United States, France's Total and Russia's Gazprom
have signed deals with Kurdistan,www.ekurd.net
whose relations with Baghdad have deteriorated due
to oil contracts and other disputes.
The central government insists that all contracts
are illegal if they did not go through the federal
oil ministry.
Earlier this month, Iraq gave Total an ultimatum to
end dealings with the Kurdish region or sell its
stake in a giant southern oilfield.
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