tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post2067845763000435236..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: What Do The New Oil Deals Mean for The Kurds?Joel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-23384969526778045242010-01-02T20:33:30.894-08:002010-01-02T20:33:30.894-08:00The Kurds say they should be included in any oil n...The Kurds say they should be included in any oil negotiations involving disputed areas such as Kirkuk. They have said nothing about oil deals in southern Iraq.<br /><br />The article that quoted politicians from the major parties saying they would honor the new oil deals was:<br /><br />Al-Salhy, Suadad and Rasheed, Ahmed, “SCENARIOS-Will Iraq honour deals with oil majors after polls?” Reuters, 12/10/09<br /><br />"The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (ISCI), which heads the Iraqi National Alliance, a coalition likely to be Maliki's main challenger at the ballot box, will also stand by the contracts, said Jalal al-Din al-Sagheer, a senior ISCI member"<br /><br />"Salim al-Jubouri, a senior member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, an important Sunni Muslim political group and frequent critic of Maliki's Shi'ite-led government, agrees"<br /><br />"'These contracts will hold because they are legal, and they have no connection with political differences between the government and parliament,' said Feriyad Rawanduzi, spokesman for parliament's Kurdish bloc."<br /><br />As for who gets to deal with oil contracts, the dispute is over federalism vs centralism. The Oil Ministry claims they can sign deals without including anyone because the represent the central government, and the Kurds say they can do the same because they are an autonomous region. Neither is actually correct according to the Constitution, but Iraq doesn't quite have rule of law right now.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-48121119115228342512010-01-02T18:44:11.450-08:002010-01-02T18:44:11.450-08:00Thanks.
"In fact, all of the major politica...Thanks. <br /><br />"In fact, all of the major political parties, even the Kurds said they will respect the new oil deals after a new government is installed after the 2010 elections. "<br /><br />Where's your source for this? Haven't the kurds protested that they must be involved in the negotiations and because they havent they are illegal?<br /><br />And what's baghdad's legal/constitutional justification for doing so without Kurdish consent?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-80251566808488831442010-01-02T16:55:06.142-08:002010-01-02T16:55:06.142-08:00Anonymous wrote:
"There's a problem with ...Anonymous wrote:<br />"There's a problem with using Iraq's old laws - they've all been outlawed by the constitution..."<br /><br />That's actually not true.<br /><br />Article 126 of the constitution says that all existing laws will remain in force unless annulled or amended in the 2005 constitution and there's nothing ending old oil legislation.<br /><br />2nd, if signing new oil deals is illegal than no one, not even the Kurds have said so. The only legal objection as I said comes from some in parliament who say that any new oil deals need to be approved by parliament. Some also say the parliament and provinces need to be included in negotiations, which actually has some standing in the constitution. <br /><br />In fact, all of the major political parties, even the Kurds said they will respect the new oil deals after a new government is installed after the 2010 elections. <br /><br />3rd here's the relevant parts of the constitution on oil.<br /><br />Article 25: The state will ensure investments in its resources<br /><br />Article 26: The state will encourage investment in the economy<br /><br />Article 110: the federal government has the authority to formulate foreign economic policy<br /><br />Article 112: The federal government along with the provinces and regional governments will manage oil and distribute revenues according to population and formulate policies to develop oilJoel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-15236522744171732972010-01-02T14:27:35.592-08:002010-01-02T14:27:35.592-08:00There's a problem with using Iraq's old la...There's a problem with using Iraq's old laws - they've all been outlawed by the constitution...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-16546431026142342352010-01-02T14:04:19.988-08:002010-01-02T14:04:19.988-08:00I should add that the head of the oil committee in...I should add that the head of the oil committee in parliament from the Fadhila party and some other law makers hav said the new oil deals are illegal because they have not been approved by parliament, not because there's no new oil law.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-62558773792827684102010-01-02T14:00:51.245-08:002010-01-02T14:00:51.245-08:00There's no NEW oil law, but there is older leg...There's no NEW oil law, but there is older legislation and even contracts that the Oil Ministry uses.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-85387393904255554822010-01-02T12:58:16.217-08:002010-01-02T12:58:16.217-08:00But the deals Baghdad has signed are all illegal a...But the deals Baghdad has signed are all illegal aren't they? There is no oil law in Baghdad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com