Arbil: The autonomous Kurdish parliament approved their own regional oil and gas law ahead of the the Baghdad-based Parliament's endorsement, drawing anger and criticisms.
The Sunni Muslim Scholars Association, which considers the ratified law as illegal, forbade investors to work by its contents.
The parliament in Baghdad has approved the federal draft oil and gas law. The cabinet has to approve the draft law.
However, various political groups have been seeking amendments to the draft law, thereby the draft is yet to be approved.
Gulf News talked to the foreign relations service official in the Kurdistan regional government, Falah Mustafa Bakir, on the issue.
Gulf News: Why did the Parliament of Kurdistan ratify the regional oil and gas law and why now?
Falah Mustafa Bakir: The Parliament of Kurdistan approved the draft law after one year of negotiations with the federal government in Baghdad.
The state consultative council, an appointed body based in Baghdad, made some substantial amendments though it does not have the right to make these changes.
Are you saying that you have approved the original draft and not the draft that included the amendments introduced by the consultative council making some amendments?
It is true.
The Kurdistan regional oil and gas law allows you to participate in managing old oil fields in Iraq beside newly discovered ones, besides exporting approximately one million barrels per day in the future. Does that mean that Kurdistan will be able to sign contracts for oil investment by itself?
What you mentioned as the features granted by the regional law are true, yet the whole matter will be coordinated with the federal government in Baghdad.
Also, the agreement contracts will be signed only through the federal oil and gas council where we are represented by the Kurdistan minister of natural resources.
All revenues from exporting oil and gas from Kurdistan will go to Baghdad and our share of it will be 17 per cent of the total oil and gas imports according to the census.
Was the approval of the regional law in Kurdistan a political card to pressurise the parliament in Baghdad to ratify the law later?
No, we do not intend to put pressure on the Iraqi parliament and we do not think this way.
We practised our constitutional right and the regional parliament approved the law to accelerate development and provide job opportunities for Kurdistan citizens.
The Sunni Muslim Scholars Association reacted angrily to the law in Kurdistan and considered it as null. What are your comments?
The association has no right to criticise the law nor our move.
It is our constitutional and legal right. The issue was studied by experts and advisors before its endorsement.
Some experts say that you will have the right to explore new oil and gas fields. What is your response?
This is not true. Our share will be 17 per cent of the total gas and oil revenue regardless of new oil wells.
Some politicians accused the Kurdistan government's approval of the regional law, of working to secede from Iraq. What is your comment?
I emphasise that the law ratification meant that Kurdistan is part of Iraq and it could not secede from it.
Can Turkey impede exporting oil and gas from the area ?
It is Iraqi federal government's concern.
Oil and gas will be exported from the [northern] provinces through known ports and pipelines across Iraq.
