Kurdistan oil minister discounts Shahristani statement as old news, temporary agreement; says agreement to pay the contractors means nothing until finance ministry and cabinet approve plan.
Unilateral development of oil and gas fields near or crossing international borders have been the cause of war in Iraq. Officials are signing deals with foreign firms anyway, while they continue talks with Iran and Kuwait.
Lawsuit to topple BP and CNPC's oil deal will continue, as former member of parliament sets to kick off major fundraising campaign and claims allegiance of top Maliki opponents.
Basra government starting to calculate how to spend an extra $600 M expected now that a new law gives each province a cut of the oil, gas and fuel it produces.
Former member of parliament must pay more than a quarter million dollars or groundbreaking lawsuit challenging constitutionality of first major foreign oil contract will be dismissed.
Workers say the oil ministry is retaliating against workers for protesting after failed negotiations. The ministry says it is acting to prevent unruly demonstrations.
Top deputies and technocrats from Baghdad spent time in Erbil this week hashing out the technical framework for progress if a political deal between the central and regional government is reached.
Broad agreement to end oil disputes not expected until after new government, but KRG oil minister said upcoming meetings would make technical progress on oil development.
As Sadr's influence grows, his policies may scare foreign investors in the oil sector.
Haider al-Abadi, spokesman for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party, tells Iraq Oil Report the national oil company and a technocrat oil minister is "very important for rebuilding Iraq."
