Barzani: Agreement over oil positive move

[TonyDownTheShore]

Barzani labels Baghdad agreement over oil "positive move"

20/09/2012 10:24ERBIL, Sept. 20 (AKnews) –Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani stated the agreement signed by Baghdad and KRG in a last week's meeting in Baghdad over oil will not solve all problems between the two sides yet it is an important and positive move.

Barzani said in a press conference in Erbil yesterday that Iraq's Council of Ministers and its counterpart in the KRG have approved the agreement points of Baghdad meeting.

Barzani believed this agreement is "a move toward good direction".

The agreement contained clauses which require Baghdad to pay the suspended dues of the investigating oil companies in the Kurdistan Region from 2012 budget in addition to allocation of a share of refined fuel (17%) to the Kurdistan.

Barzani said Baghdad will pay 650 million IQD from 2012 budget to investigating oil companies in the region and hoped reimbursing the reminder of the dues , 350 million IQD, be fixed in the next year's budget.

Barzani described Baghdad agreement as" the first step toward solving the problems between both governments", saying "another good point of the agreement is that Iraqi Government sends 700,000 barrel of oil per day to refineries and Kurdistan's share from this number is %17 equivalent to 147,000 bpd."

The PM, however, stated what the Region receives now is far less than that.

"According to the agreement from now on Kurdistan Region will receive its full share. At the moment the region receives only 20,000 to 30,000 barrels of refined oil."

The PM continued the Kurdistan Region now produces 140,000 bpd and is committed to increase it to 200,000 bpd."

Barzani thanked the Iraqi Government and hoped the recent agreement become a basis for more accords.

A delegation from Kurdistan Region, headed by Iraqi deputy Prime Minister Rojh Nouri Shawais, met with Baghdad Government's representatives last week and worked out the agreement.

By Hemn Hadi

LL/AKnews

http://aknews.com/en/aknews/4/327120/