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Tweets from Iraqi MP Sarkawt Shamsulddin @MPSarkawtShams

Thread: KRG Oil Vs Dynasty (Aug 21st)

Today participated in a court session virtually in London for trialing Ashti Hawrami, KRG’s former Min of Natural Resources, KRG. Hawrami claimed he has immunity, KRG oil has sovereign immunity as well so English Court should not trial him. 1

I have presented my opinion over the issue of immunity, sovereignty of KRG oil. I presented evidence (as exhibit evidence witness) through Dynasty (the Oil Company who sued Hawrami)’s lawyer before the session. Based on that the judge dismissed Hawrami’s claim to enjoy immunity. 2

Hawrami’s lawyers refused to allow more than 2 experts to help Dynasty’s claim, that led to judge’s ruling to limit each party to have two experts on each matter. Hawrami’s team were against my participation and participation of Dr. Yousif Muhammad and few others..3

So, our opinions will be presented through the lawyers instead. But it will be helpful if Federal Govrnment can provide official letter to the London court to explain that neither Hawrami nor the oil exported by KRG enjoy immunity or sovereign immunity. 4

The Dynasty had signed a contract with KRG several years ago to develop gas fields in Garmian area and it signed a deal with Spanish oil company Repsol but according to Dynasty Hawrami asked for bribe to let Dynasty-Repsol deal to go ahead. Dynasty refused to pay, sued Hawrami 5

The London court decided to allow both parties to present their experts’ reports, opinions in five weeks on the matter of immunity and sovereignty before court’s ruling in Feb 2021.
Hawrami’s lawyers seek to dismiss the case based on immunity justification.
End.

Aug 22; The point is everyone should be allowed to do business without intimidation like Ashti did to Dynasty.
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So, as we suspected, looks like the Hawrami effect is probably what lead Toddy K to sell up and give up. Just how much of a kickback did he demand in 2012?
I hope the KRG choose to "usher in an new era of oil affairs" soon i.e. distance themselves from the corruption of old before the judgement hits the fan in 6 months. Maybe Hawrami will do an Epstein before then?.

More from yesterday's meetings, from KRG press release gov.krg :

Deputy PM Qubad Talabani updates foreign missions on dialogue with Baghdad

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) - Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani on Monday briefed diplomatic missions in Erbil via videoconference on the recent progress with Baghdad.

During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister detailed the recent agreement with Baghdad following months of high-level and working-level negotiations.

He noted that the temporary agreement will help pave the way for a lasting and comprehensive settlement.

Deputy Prime Minister Talabani also spoke about the reform agenda, adding that reforms, and efforts to diversify the economy, will continue despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

He also touched on the continued spread of the virus, and called for more international support.

18 Aug 2020

From Iraq Oil Report, 13-8-20

"The federal and Kurdistan regional governments are exchanging public recriminations over finances, despite optimism in some quarters about a DEAL THAT PUSHES ASIDE PERENNIAL OIL DISPUTES"

And just now we hear from Masrour Barzani on Twitter:
@masrour_barzani

2 hr ago

"After a call with PM @MAKadhimi today, I am pleased to announce that Baghdad has agreed to pay IQD 320bn monthly as a partial restoration of our share of the federal budget. We are in agreement on both parties’ constitutional rights and duties, and dialogue will continue- mb."

Iraqi Journalist Renwar Najm's angle, again from Twitter @renwarnajm 1 hr ago

"Apparently the KRG has agreed to let Iraqi Federal Board of Supreme Audit secure border crossings and monitor imports and customs deductions of Kurdistan Region. In return Baghdad to pay IQD 320 monthly until 2021 when KRG’s fixed share to be decided on in budget law."

So the spat related to border crossings. What of the agreement on oil discussed in recent weeks? If this is indeed as uncontentious as the Iraq Oil Report suggests could it be a goer? Something positive to have ready for Khadimi's meeting with Donny T in the White House on Thursday? Or business as usual?

Time will tell.

From Twitter:

Rojava Network
@RojavaNetwork
·
3h
#Hewlêr: Large Anti-government demonstrations in the cities Duhok and Hewlêr, calling the Kurdistan Regional Government (#KRG) to resign. The protest was primarily directed against corruption and economic crisis.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Snell
@joesnell03
·
5h
Replying to
@joesnell03
To appease unrest, the Kurdistan region's Council of Ministers announced today they would pay salaries of government employees with any available funds starting next week. More to come. (6/6)

"Any available funds" - Does this mean The Bank of Barzani, placate the masses with a few quid to try to get back to business as usual?

Hope they (and yes, we too) get meaningful change in policy, and personnel instead.

Payraw Anwar (writer and Columnist based in Erbil) - Twitter

@PayrawAnwar
·
18h
A delegation from KRG visits Baghdad. It's expected to reach an agreement after 5 months of negotiation. The current Iraqi PM wants to have its own party to take part in upcoming elections.

Agreed, it would be naive to assume that the snouts at the trough would do anything to interrupt their supply of money. This is why I think central to any workable agreement has to be a clause which tacitly allows the Kurdisclan governors to continue to be on the take, whilst also progressing towards a greater goal, development of the assets and improvement of the lot of the Iraqi people. in short, any workable agreement must allow the KRG to have their cake and embezzle it.

I was heartened to read elements of the following article a few weeks back which included for this consideration:

Is a grand oil bargain with the Kurds Trump’s next big move to stabilize Iraq? - justthenews.com

"KRG would increase its oil production from about 450,000 barrels per day to 1 million, and SOMO would market and sell about four-fifths of that output. KRG WOULD KEEP ABOUT 200,000 BARRELS TO MEET ITS EXISTING OIL SALES COMMITMENTS."

An allowance for "Existing oil sales commitments" (Ahem...wink wink) would indeed allow the KRG crooks their enrichment whilst also developing the assets.

The article also stated payment of the dues to the producers would be by SOMO (the ICG) thereby giving greater confidence on meeting payments and crucially acting as endorsement of the KRG contracts by the ICG, removing the other major barrier to the oil majors swooping on KRG assets.

We live in hope.

Okay, we can debate over whether Shaikan is a giant lake or a sea of oil but the problem here has always been the politics of the folk running around on the top of it. Since the economic pinch arising from COVID and Al-Khadimi taking office as Iraqi PM there has been much movement on the political front. Discussions between Baghdad and Erbil with the UK, France, US, and the UN all reported recently as including talks on a rapprochement between Erbil and Baghdad on oil. Notably any agreement guarantored by such big hitters is much more likely to stick than the meaningless bilateral "agreements" of previous years.

I know we've seen many false dawns here but I feel there's so much political impetus now something will happen this year:

6th Aug 2020

"A Kurdish deputy in the House of Representatives announced that a high-ranking Kurdish delegation will go to Baghdad next week to complete the dialogues with the federal government. Sherwan Mirza, a deputy from the Islamic Union bloc in the Iraqi parliament, said in a press statement: “There is convergence between the regional government and the central government in Baghdad in the dialogues on the outstanding issues between them.” He added: “A high-level Kurdish delegation will go to Baghdad next week to complete negotiations and dialogues with officials in the federal government.” It is likely that an agreement will be concluded between the regional government and the central government on oil files, border ports and the region’s share of the general budget."

From aynaliraqnews