A senior US official said Washington informed its companies operating in Iraq, especially in the oil sector, to coordinate with the federal government in Baghdad before the conclusion of any contract.

US oil companies Exxon Mobil and Chevron ignored the warnings of Baghdad and concluded oil agreements in the Kurdistan Region. This angered the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs Elizabeth Jones during her meeting with Maliki in Baghdad on Monday said the United States called on all companies to coordinate with the central government before entering into any contract or agreement, according to a statement posted on Maliki's website.

Baghdad insists that it has the absolute authority to manage the oil fields and conclude transactions, at a time when the region says it has the constitutional right to conclude deals in the absence of a law that regulates the management of the oil wealth.

The Kurdistan Region announced recently that it would continue its oil exports until September 15, extending the deadline granted to the federal government to pay the oil companies operating in the semi-autonomous region.

Last month the region resumed pumping oil after being stopped at the beginning of April. The region called on Baghdad to pay the dues - around $1.5bn - to oil companies operating in Kurdistan.














AKnews