KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
PRESS RELEASE, 27 September 2006
Erbil, Kurdistan Region- Iraq
Statement by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani on non-implementation of the Iraqi constitution
In an interview with al-Sabah newspaper published 24 September, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein Shahristani said his Ministry is not committed to investment contracts signed by the Kurdistan Regional Government. He further stated that the Baghdad Oil Ministry would review the terms of these contracts.
Dr. Shahristani’s comments suggest he is not committed to Iraq’s Constitution. Article 115 of the Constitution gives Regions “all powers not stipulated in the exclusive powers of the federal government.” Oil and Gas are not among the exclusive powers of the federal government. Further, the articles of the Iraqi Constitution that do address oil provide for joint control by the federal government and the regional Government of oil fields currently in production. The constitution gives the federal government no role at all with regard to the new oil fields that are the subject of the KRG-signed contracts. Finally, as if there were any doubt as to the validity of KRG-signed contracts, Article 141 of the Iraqi Constitution specifically validates “decisions issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government, including court decisions and contracts” since 1992.
As the elected Kurdistan official ultimately responsible for my government’s oil contracts, I resent Dr. Shahristani’s efforts to sabotage foreign investment in Kurdistan’s oil sector. The KRG is working to develop petroleum in Kurdistan, an area that previous Iraqi regimes had declared off limits as means of punishing our people. Since 2003, foreign companies have invested more than $100 million in exploration activities in our region and have already made one significant new discovery. Meanwhile, the Baghdad Oil Ministry has done nothing to encourage foreign investment in other parts of Iraq or to start new petroleum activities. Dr. Shahristani would better spend his time getting his ministry working rather than tearing down our achievements.
The people of Kurdistan chose to be in a voluntarily union with Iraq on the basis of the constitution. If Baghdad Ministers refuse to abide by that constitution, the people of Kurdistan reserve the right to reconsider our choice.