27 March 2011
Baghdad - A member of the Iraqi parliament from Kurdistan Blocs Coalition (KBC) said Sunday that the reasons that led the parliament to vote to abolish the ratification to develop and produce the Ahdab oil field are purely political and propaganda of the former regime in Iraq, while the Oil ministry indicated that the abolition of the law came at its request.
The Iraqi parliament voted at its 45th session on canceling the law of ratification on a contract to develop and produce Ahdab oil field and the draft law of ratification of the Republic of Iraq to amend the crude oil pipeline convention signed in 1973 between Iraq and Turkey.
MP Mahma Khalil told AKnews that the contract to develop the Ahdab oil field was signed in the nineties during the rule of the former regime between Iraq and a Russian company and it is political propaganda for the former regime and a support for the Russian company at the expense of Iraqi citizens. The oil ministry has signed a service contract with a Chinese company that began working in the field last year.
"The parliament voted on the ratification of the Republic of Iraq to amend the Convention on the pipeline of crude oil signed in 1973 between the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Turkey was the result of Iraq's need for the continued operation of the pipeline carrier of oil between Iraq and Turkey."
"Iraq considers Turkey its economic gate and Turkey consider Iraq as its gate to the Arabian Gulf."
"Voting on the amendment of the law will increase the amount of oil exported through the pipelines with Turkey," adding "there is a need for the two countries to increase the volume of investment between them."
While the Ministry of Oil said on Sunday that "the decision of the parliament to cancel Ahdab field signed with the Chinese company in 1997 came at the request of the ministry," indicating that "the contract signed after 2003 with the same company continues."
Assem Jihad, the spokesman for the Ministry of Oil told AKnews that the Iraqi Oil Ministry signed in 1997 a partnership with the Chinese company to work in Ahdab province of Wasit," noting that "the Iraqi government was unable during the rule of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's from implementing the contract because of the economic blockade."
"The Federal Oil Ministry after 2003 entered into negotiations with the Chinese company, and was able to transfer the contract of partnership to a service one," noting that "his ministry called the parliament with its legislative authority to cancel the contract of former company."
"The cancellation of the previous decade, issued by Law No. 22 of 1997 does not affect the contract with the company," pointing out that "the company continue its work according to the terms of the signed contract and does not need to pass a law from the parliament as it is a service contract."
The Chinese National Petroleum Corporation began to work with the Federal Ministry of Oil in 2008 under the title "service contract" for 20 years at a cost of three billion dollars.
The Ministry of the Federal Oil conditioned the Chinese company to increase daily production to 200,000 barrels per day as production peak during the mentioned term of the contract.
The Ahdab field is one of the oil fields of Iraq and it is located west of Qut, the center of Wasit province, and the work was initiated in it by the National Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CNBC).
The parliament resumed its sessions today after suspending its 44 session on the 17th of this month, in solidarity with protests taking place in Bahrain, and celebrations of Nowruz holidays.
Baghdad - A member of the Iraqi parliament from Kurdistan Blocs Coalition (KBC) said Sunday that the reasons that led the parliament to vote to abolish the ratification to develop and produce the Ahdab oil field are purely political and propaganda of the former regime in Iraq, while the Oil ministry indicated that the abolition of the law came at its request.
The Iraqi parliament voted at its 45th session on canceling the law of ratification on a contract to develop and produce Ahdab oil field and the draft law of ratification of the Republic of Iraq to amend the crude oil pipeline convention signed in 1973 between Iraq and Turkey.
MP Mahma Khalil told AKnews that the contract to develop the Ahdab oil field was signed in the nineties during the rule of the former regime between Iraq and a Russian company and it is political propaganda for the former regime and a support for the Russian company at the expense of Iraqi citizens. The oil ministry has signed a service contract with a Chinese company that began working in the field last year.
"The parliament voted on the ratification of the Republic of Iraq to amend the Convention on the pipeline of crude oil signed in 1973 between the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Turkey was the result of Iraq's need for the continued operation of the pipeline carrier of oil between Iraq and Turkey."
"Iraq considers Turkey its economic gate and Turkey consider Iraq as its gate to the Arabian Gulf."
"Voting on the amendment of the law will increase the amount of oil exported through the pipelines with Turkey," adding "there is a need for the two countries to increase the volume of investment between them."
While the Ministry of Oil said on Sunday that "the decision of the parliament to cancel Ahdab field signed with the Chinese company in 1997 came at the request of the ministry," indicating that "the contract signed after 2003 with the same company continues."
Assem Jihad, the spokesman for the Ministry of Oil told AKnews that the Iraqi Oil Ministry signed in 1997 a partnership with the Chinese company to work in Ahdab province of Wasit," noting that "the Iraqi government was unable during the rule of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's from implementing the contract because of the economic blockade."
"The Federal Oil Ministry after 2003 entered into negotiations with the Chinese company, and was able to transfer the contract of partnership to a service one," noting that "his ministry called the parliament with its legislative authority to cancel the contract of former company."
"The cancellation of the previous decade, issued by Law No. 22 of 1997 does not affect the contract with the company," pointing out that "the company continue its work according to the terms of the signed contract and does not need to pass a law from the parliament as it is a service contract."
The Chinese National Petroleum Corporation began to work with the Federal Ministry of Oil in 2008 under the title "service contract" for 20 years at a cost of three billion dollars.
The Ministry of the Federal Oil conditioned the Chinese company to increase daily production to 200,000 barrels per day as production peak during the mentioned term of the contract.
The Ahdab field is one of the oil fields of Iraq and it is located west of Qut, the center of Wasit province, and the work was initiated in it by the National Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CNBC).
The parliament resumed its sessions today after suspending its 44 session on the 17th of this month, in solidarity with protests taking place in Bahrain, and celebrations of Nowruz holidays.
© AK News 2011
