Oil Minister: The dispute with the region is on the way to a solution, and we agreed on this formula
Oil Minister: The dispute with the region is on the way to a solution, and we agreed on this formula
02/22/2021 12:39:32
{International: Al Furat News} The Minister of Oil, Ihssan Abdul Jabbar, expressed his optimism that the outstanding issues with the Kurdistan region would be resolved in the near future, “if there is confidence between the two sides.”
Abdul Jabbar said in an interview with the BBC, regarding relations with the region: “I think that it is on its way to a solution and there are high-level committees from the Kurdistan region visiting Baghdad to discuss with those with political, technical and economic decisions in the field of budgeting, and there is progress in the relationship.”
He added, “The information was almost withheld from the central government previously, but now information and data have been exchanged between the Federal Office of Financial Supervision and the Office of Financial Supervision in the Kurdistan region, and we in the Ministry of Oil received a number of data and it was agreed on a formula in the budget that the center would receive the value of 250 thousand.” A barrel of crude oil at the price of (sumo), meaning high competition, and there are other formulas for discussion, and I think the issue is heading towards a solution. ”
In response to the rumors that the Kurdistan region concluded an agreement with Turkey to sell oil for a period of 50 years, Abdul Jabbar explained: “The data received by us say other than this. The Kurdistan region concluded at a certain stage contracts with companies of extraction, transport and export based on the electrified political atmosphere during the period of signing These contracts, and we believe that these contracts were not successful at this time, although at that time they were a financial solution for the region, but now they are unsuccessful and lead to the failure to provide an integrated return from the export of crude oil. I believe that the near future will solve these problems with a joint agreement.
The Oil Minister went on to say that “the relationship with the region will be positive in the near future if there is confidence between the two sides. We are trying to extend elements of confidence and give positive signals, and that the center thinks about the Kurdish people as it thinks about the people in central and southern Iraq, but the issue needs time to build confidence.” .
During the last period, the negotiating delegation for the Kurdistan region headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Qubad Talabani, made many repeated visits to Baghdad, which resulted in the inclusion of Article 11 – first of the draft budget that stipulates the settlement of dues between the federal government and the Kurdistan region for the years 2004 to 2020 After the Federal Office of Financial Supervision, in coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Office of Financial Supervision, audited it.
Also, starting from the year 2021, the Federal Ministry of Finance will download the debt installments owed by the Kurdistan Region granted to it by the Iraqi Commercial Bank and schedule it over ten years.
Article 11-second of the draft law obliges the Kurdistan Regional Government to deliver 250 thousand barrels of crude oil per day of crude oil produced from its fields, and to hand over oil and non-oil revenues exclusively to the state’s public treasury, but the objection of the Shiite blocs delayed the vote on the law.
Earlier, the Parliamentary Finance Committee set, next Thursday, the date for voting on the 2021 budget, after the announcement that the Shiite blocs had reached an agreement on the Kurdistan region’s oil exports and its budget share represented in the delivery of 250,000 in-kind barrels per day to the Kurdistan region in favor of the national oil marketing company (SOMO). ), And the remainder of the production is paid in the form of production, marketing and domestic consumption costs in the Kurdistan region.
The Kurdistan Region delegation will visit Baghdad again this week, to follow up on stabilizing the region’s share of the budget and passing the bill, on which Parliament is scheduled to begin voting on as of next Thursday.
alforatnews.com
