Monday, July 16, 2007
MPs opposing draft oil law want to put it to referendum
Oil
(Azzaman) - Iraqi legislators opposing the new draft law for the exploration of oil and the distribution of oil revenues say its passage should be determined by the Iraqi people. Representatives for power blocs have suggested holding a nation-wide referendum to determine whether the Iraqi people are happy about its terms.
The draft law, which the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has passed, needs the parliament’s approval to become law. The law’s opponents have prepared a bill calling for a new referendum which, in their opinion, will spare the country further infighting and division. The draft oil law if passed without substantial amendments is bound to deepen divisions between various Iraqi political factions and different sects.
The draft was revised by the State Consultative Council, the highest judicial body whose decisions are binding, but the revisions were turned down by the Kurds, the second largest bloc in the current coalition government. “The amendments the council had introduced were unacceptable because they would have undermined the prerogatives of the Kurdish autonomous region,” said Ashti Horami, minister of natural resource in the Kurdish regional government.
The draft’s opponents say the government and the parliament are under obligation to take into account the amendments by the judicial council. According to the amendments the central government should be he only body with power to sign oil contracts, and handle oil exports and proceeds. But the Kurds and their Shiite allies want regional and provincial governments to have the authority to sign oil deals and determine other issues related to extraction, refining and exports.
Most of Iraq’s oil wealth is in the predominantly Shiite provinces in southern Iraq. The fields of Basra and Missan hold more than 65% of the country’s proven reserves estimated at 115 billion barrels. Other major oil fields are situation in Kirkuk, a disputed province which the Kurds say they are determined to annex. Central Iraq, a predominantly Sunni region, is the poorest in the country with regard to oil fields; hence most of the opposition to the draft law comes from Sunni factions in the parliament.
The draft law, which the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has passed, needs the parliament’s approval to become law. The law’s opponents have prepared a bill calling for a new referendum which, in their opinion, will spare the country further infighting and division. The draft oil law if passed without substantial amendments is bound to deepen divisions between various Iraqi political factions and different sects.
The draft was revised by the State Consultative Council, the highest judicial body whose decisions are binding, but the revisions were turned down by the Kurds, the second largest bloc in the current coalition government. “The amendments the council had introduced were unacceptable because they would have undermined the prerogatives of the Kurdish autonomous region,” said Ashti Horami, minister of natural resource in the Kurdish regional government.
The draft’s opponents say the government and the parliament are under obligation to take into account the amendments by the judicial council. According to the amendments the central government should be he only body with power to sign oil contracts, and handle oil exports and proceeds. But the Kurds and their Shiite allies want regional and provincial governments to have the authority to sign oil deals and determine other issues related to extraction, refining and exports.
Most of Iraq’s oil wealth is in the predominantly Shiite provinces in southern Iraq. The fields of Basra and Missan hold more than 65% of the country’s proven reserves estimated at 115 billion barrels. Other major oil fields are situation in Kirkuk, a disputed province which the Kurds say they are determined to annex. Central Iraq, a predominantly Sunni region, is the poorest in the country with regard to oil fields; hence most of the opposition to the draft law comes from Sunni factions in the parliament.
Labels: draft oil law, referendum, State Consultative Council
