Kazem Al-Touki, a member of the Parliamentary Oil and Natural Resources Committee, gave an explanation of the primary cause of the obstructions to the passage and resolution of the oil and gas law on Monday. He noted that the approval of the law will be postponed until the contentious issues pertaining to it are settled between Baghdad and Erbil.
“The oil and gas law has not yet seen the light,” Al-Touki stated, “despite the government’s moves and the ongoing work of the technical and negotiating committees formed regarding the law last year.”
“To ensure that the aforementioned law is resolved and delivered to Parliament for legislation before the recess of the Council’s last legislative term,” he said, “the Oil and Gas Committee was moving towards the heads of the political blocs.”
“The oil and gas law is at a standstill because the Kurds have blocked its resolution following their concerns about Article 140 and the disputed areas,” he said. Ultimately, the legislation will not be passed until all political parties have agreed upon it.
