Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki believes a contract between U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region is dangerous and could lead to "wars," his spokesman told AFP Tuesday.
Prime
Minister
Nuri
al-
Maliki
believes
a
contract
between
U.
S.
oil
giant
ExxonMobil
and
Iraq'
s
autonomous
Kurdistan
region
is
dangerous
and
could
lead
to "
wars,"
his
spokesman
told
AFP
Tuesday.
ExxonMobil
signed an oil exploration deal with the
Kurdistan
region in northern
Iraq
covering six areas, including two that are said to be outside the region and
claimed by both
Baghdad
and
Kurdistan
.
The central government says all oil contracts must go through
Baghdad
and
regards any that do not as illegal.
"Maliki views these deals as representing a very dangerous initiative that
may lead to the outbreak of wars" and "breaking up the unity of
Iraq
,"
Ali Mussawi said of the
Kurdistan
contract.
"Maliki is prepared to go to the highest levels for the sake of preserving
the national wealth and the necessary transparency in investing the wealth of
the Iraqis, especially oil," Mussawi said.
The premier "sent a message to American President Barak Obama last week
urging him to intervene to prevent ExxonMobil from going in this
direction."
Exxon and
Kurdistan
inked the exploration deal Oct. 18.
Baghdad
has
since said the deal is frozen, which
Kurdistan
has
denied.
Iraqi Kurdistan has been locked in a standoff with
Baghdad
for
months, one of a series of intertwined political crises which have escalated
into calls for Maliki to be removed from power.
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