Plus:
*Political disputes 2008
*Wanted: Investors in Iraq’s power sector
*Wanted: Solution to displaced persons disaster

Iraq’s Oil Ministry said all companies interested in winning contracts need to register as Iraq moves closer to its first tenders of oil fields, Ben Lando reports for United Press International.

There have been mixed messages from the ministry, however, as to whether certain fields will be awarded in an open bidding process or negotiated between the ministry and a selected company. And the type of contract itself, a controversial aspect, has not been specified by the ministry.

“Contracts and licensing directory in (the) Oil Ministry on Wednesday called on all qualified and well-known international companies to submit their applications to work in Iraq,” ministry spokesman Assem Jihad was quoted by the Voices of Iraq news agency. “Companies have to fill in application forms and submit the documents before the end of January 2008.” …

More from Reuters, as well as United Press International’s recap of Iraq oil in 2007.

The Voices of Iraq news agency reports Iraqi leaders are to meet next week to figure out solutions to political disputes. Take a quick look through the most recent, say, 6 posts at Iraq Oil Report and you’ll see how hard such a deal may be to reach.

Representatives of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, however, met Thursday with officials from his chief rival’s party, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim and his Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, in an effort to cement a tenuous peace agreement the two signed in October after violent clashes between their followers, Bradley Brooks reports for The Associated Press.

Iraq’s power sector, looking for needed investors, is getting the loudest and most active response from neighboring Iran, UPI reports.

Iraq’s culture of corruption stems from the actions of the international community and the controversial UN oil-for-food scheme, the deputy prime minister Barham Saleh said on Thursday, AFP reports.

A humanitarian request to President Bush has been issued by numerous NGOs, religious and other advocacy groups over the continued and unabated refugee crisis in and out of Iraq.

More from Jamie Gumbrecht of McClatchy Newspapers.

The Iraq Press Roundup by UPI’s Hiba Dawood.