| |
Contributions from
the Column
Monitor
Hong Kong: near failure
Strengthened individual, weakened state
Budget crisis averted
Fewer landmine victims
Health services:
passing by the poor
NGOs claim Iraq
is selling oil reserves
More people infected with HIV
French NGOs take stock
of government action
Millennium Goal still a long way off
01/2006
|
|
NGOs claim Iraq is selling oil reserves
Secret negotiations are being held in Iraq between government representatives and foreign oil companies over so far undeveloped oil fields, according to a study presented by a group of international non-governmental organisations at the end of November. The study maintains that representatives from the Iraqi oil ministry are negotiating, mainly with corporations based in the USA and Britain. At stage are 40-year usage rights for 60 oil fields, which would account for almost two thirds of the Iraqi oil reserves. According to the report, this means the country would lose up to a total of $194 billion in revenue. The report bemoans that the negotiations began even before the parliamentary elections were held in Iraq in mid-December; before a new, democratically legitimised law over the use of oil resources could be passed. According to the German news service Spiegel online, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi said that his country needs the agreements with the companies to increase oil production. (ell)
On the internet:
NGO report:
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2005/crudedesigns.htm
|
