Central government stand on oil contracts is firm – Shahristani

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The stand of Iraqi Oil Ministry is firm and clear regarding “unilateral” contracts signed with foreign companies, Media department director of deputy premier for energy affairs Hussein Shahristani said here today. Faisal Abdulla told IraqiNews.com that “oil is the property of all and the contracts with foreign companies should pass through ministry of oil, either signed with Kurdistan or any other province. Earlier, deputy premier Roze Nouri Shawees confirmed that US Exxon Mobil will stick to its lucrative deal with Baghdad, though signing a contract with Kurdistan to explore oil there. The Iraqi central government insists that all contracts signed by Kurdistan with foreign companies are against the law, because it did not have its approval, while the Kurdistan government declared that “centralism in oil dossier has been over” and its contracts are legal.