Babylon
12-17-2011, 01:49 PM
Erbil exports 75,000 barrels of oil illegally
17/12/2011 15:36
BAGHDAD, Dec. 17 (AKnews) - Kurdistan Region is illegally exporting 75,000 barrels of oil a day says the office Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahrastani.
The director of Shahrastani's office Faisal Abdullah told AKnews the oil is illegally exported to Pakistan, Azerbaijan and other countries in East Asia.
"The Kurdistan Regional Government declared it is exporting 175,000 bpd, but it violated this agreement and it is currently exporting only 100,000 bpd. Shahristani is not working to escalate the situation with Erbil, but deals according to the law and signed agreements between Baghdad and Erbil."
Kurdistan Region exported oil from its territory for the first time on June 2009 from the fields of Taqtaq and Tawke at a rate of about 100,000 bpd. The tension increased recently between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil after Kurdistan rejected a draft oil and gas law approved by the Iraqi government.
The region believes the draft law grants power to the Federal Government to manage the oil wealth at the expense of the region.
According to the terms of Erbil conventions, an agreement must be reached about the draft oil and gas law, but the region accuses the National Coalition of passing the bill without seeking the opinion of the Kurds.
The root of the crisis between Baghdad and Erbil goes back to oil contracts that the region signed with international oil companies without the consent of the Federal Oil Ministry. Baghdad considered the contracts "invalid" and unconstitutional.
By Jaafar al-Wannan
RN/JS/AKnews
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/278760/
17/12/2011 15:36
BAGHDAD, Dec. 17 (AKnews) - Kurdistan Region is illegally exporting 75,000 barrels of oil a day says the office Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahrastani.
The director of Shahrastani's office Faisal Abdullah told AKnews the oil is illegally exported to Pakistan, Azerbaijan and other countries in East Asia.
"The Kurdistan Regional Government declared it is exporting 175,000 bpd, but it violated this agreement and it is currently exporting only 100,000 bpd. Shahristani is not working to escalate the situation with Erbil, but deals according to the law and signed agreements between Baghdad and Erbil."
Kurdistan Region exported oil from its territory for the first time on June 2009 from the fields of Taqtaq and Tawke at a rate of about 100,000 bpd. The tension increased recently between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil after Kurdistan rejected a draft oil and gas law approved by the Iraqi government.
The region believes the draft law grants power to the Federal Government to manage the oil wealth at the expense of the region.
According to the terms of Erbil conventions, an agreement must be reached about the draft oil and gas law, but the region accuses the National Coalition of passing the bill without seeking the opinion of the Kurds.
The root of the crisis between Baghdad and Erbil goes back to oil contracts that the region signed with international oil companies without the consent of the Federal Oil Ministry. Baghdad considered the contracts "invalid" and unconstitutional.
By Jaafar al-Wannan
RN/JS/AKnews
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/278760/