Jabbar Luaybi, a strong candidate for the Oil Ministrynote

Oil Ministry sources suggest that Director-General of South Oil Company (SOC) Jabbar Luaybi has become one of the strongest candidates for the position of Oil Minister in the post-election government. PM Ibrahim Jaafari is still seeking to reshuffle his government and replace Oil Minister Ibrahim Bahr Al-Ulum, but the Shiite Marja’iya has so far opposed such a move. According to these sources, Luaybi has won the confidence of the Dawa Party and SCIRI, and Oil Minister Bahr Al-Ulum himself already sees him as the Ministry's number two. He is not hostile to major companies like Total, Shell and Lukoil and refuses to campaign against them because of their relations with Saddam's regime.rnrnIraq Information Report - September 23, 2005 - 6th Year, № 6/678