WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 A top official in the Iraqi Embassy in Washington expects the oil law to top Parliament's agenda when lawmakers return to session at the start of next month.
Ghaleb El-Anbaki, third secretary and head of the Iraqi Embassy's political affairs department, told UPI the oil debate is "a sensitive issue," one related to history and entwined with the country's future.
"This will come up on the first item on the agenda of the next session of Parliament," he said, adding the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq's central government have compromises on "technical" issues, such as sharing power.
There has been no announcement on any deal, however, as Parliament is on recess this month. The oil law has been negotiated for more than a year but is stuck on issues such as the extent of federalism in controlling the exploration, development and production of the third-largest reserves in the world. Also unresolved is the extent foreign and private companies will be allowed into the sector.
Anbaki said the issue over sharing oil revenues, which will be dealt with under a separate revenue-sharing law, has been "politicized" and is holding up the law's passage.
"This is a problem," he said.
The holdup over the oil law is based on the 2005 constitution, the interpretation of which many factions disagree on. A committee is looking at amending the constitution, possibly even the language dealing with oil, but has not made any movement.
Anbaki said that is the question: whether to move forward on the oil law or wait until any proposed changes to the constitution are decided first.
Anbaki supports moving forward with the oil law, saying it will lead to much needed reconciliation.
"Let us work for the best of a formula," he said. "It's a law. It's not a divine law. To leave this as it is not good."
Ben Lando, UPI Energy Editor
Copyright 2007 by UPI
