JURIST - Paper Chase: Iraqi oil ministry worried Kurds may block new revenue law

[JURIST] The Iraqi Oil Ministry [official website] indicated Sunday that a recently proposed law regulating oil revenues may be in jeopardy. Members of the ministry have expressed doubt that the Kurdish administration in the north of the country [official website] will approve the current draft [JURIST report] despite making positive remarks about the law Saturday. Iraqi legislators delivered the law to Iraq's cabinet [JURIST report] last week.

Negotiations over the legislation have been a source of tension [JURIST report] in Iraq for months as Kurds are adamant about retaining control of Iraq's oil resources [Global Policy backgrounder] in the northern regions. Other government leaders pressed to give the central Iraqi government control over oil revenues and approval rights for any contracts with other countries or international companies to pump oil, since oil revenues are the main source of income to Iraq [JURIST news archive]. Once the cabinet approves the law, it will be moved to the parliament for final revisions and approval. Many see the passing of the law as crucial to developing the country as independent from American influence and the Bush administration has been a key proponent of the law. AP has more.

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