Iraq: Efforts to speed up passage of the oil and gas lawnote

During his visit to Brussels a month ago, Iraqi PM Nuri Al-Maliki assured the European Union that Iraq was close to finalize a long-awaited oil and gas law. Meanwhile, the central Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) continue talks to settle their differences over this law. A 267-word article published in Iraq Information Report’s issue of May 16, 2008 talks about new efforts to get the law passed and when to expect this to be done. It also talks about Iraqi National Security Adviser Muwaffaq Al-Rubaie holding contacts with major US oil companies on other issues in the law. The article names two of the companies.