Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Iraq

Iraqi Vice President Opposes Draft Oil Bill

Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi (file photo) (epa)

May 20, 2007 -- Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi says he opposes a draft oil law, saying it gives too many concessions to foreign oil companies.

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May 20, 2007

Al-Hashimi was speaking today in Jordan on the sidelines of an international conference hosted by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum.

Al-Hashimi acknowledged a need for foreign expertise, but stressed that foreign partners should not receive "big privileges" as Iraqis seek to attract them.

Al-Hashimi also said he hopes oil corporations will invest in Iraq, despite ongoing security concerns.

The Iraqi government is debating a draft oil law that allows for dividing the country's vast oil wealth.

Al-Hashimi said his party, the largest Sunni grouping with 44 seats in the legislature, will seek to amend the draft ahead of passage.

(AP)

LOOKING INSIDE
Trying To Please All Sides? RFE/RL Iraq analyst Kathleen Ridolfo says approval is by no means guaranteed. more	Draft In A Nutshell Was Prime Minister al-Maliki right to call the draft "a gift to all the Iraqi people"? more

Sharing Iraq's Oil

The pipeline from Kirkuk to Turkey is one of Iraq's main oil-export lifelines (epa file photo)

THE FUTURE OF THE ECONOMY. The uneven distribution of Iraq's oil resources has long been a source of tension among the country's ethnic and sectarian groups. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the tangled quest to find an equitable way to share oil revenues has been a major stumbling block on the road to national unity.