OPEC member Iraq landmark oil and gas law is delayed due to persistent rifts between Baghdad and the Kurdish government in North Iraq, an Iraqi deputy was reported on Monday as saying.

Ali Saadoun, a member of Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee, said the rifts include mechanism to market oil and gas from Kurdish fields and revenue-sharing.

“That is why there is no exact date for the enforcement of this new law since it is still under negotiation between Baghdad and Kurdistan…the rifts have persisted although this law is very important to tackle chronic financial and oil disputes,” Saadoun told Baghdad Alyoum news agency.

The report said Kurdistan disputes Iraqi control over oilfields found after 2005, claiming they fall under local management instead of federal law enacted in 2005 to jointly manage oilfields deals.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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