Kurds lay claim to land and oil, defying Iraq's central government

ith the passage of a controversial new constitution, the Kurdish regional parliament has added fuel to an already raging fire between Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq and Iraq’s central government.

The constitution, which still must be ratified in a popular vote, asserts Kurdish sovereignty over Kirkuk and other disputed areas, including oil fields. The constitution would require Baghdad to get Kurdish government approval of any international treaty signed by Baghdad that affects several disputed provinces with sizable Kurdish populations.
Officials in the central government strongly oppose the constitution, saying it’s an illegal grab for power.

Behind the legal and political dispute, however, lies a fierce struggle for control of the country’s oil.

Iraq has an estimated 118 million barrels of oil, the third-highest reserves in the world. Iraq’s Kurdish region has an estimated 45 million barrels of that total, with perhaps another 20 million more in disputed territories.

Under U.S. protection, the northern Kurdish region enjoyed virtual independence from the end of the Gulf War in 1991 until the U.S. invasion in 2003. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s government, the Kurdish government maintained a quasi-independence and sought to develop its regional economy – with or without Baghdad’s approval.

The Kurdish region has enjoyed relative peace and stability compared with the rest of Iraq, and that has proved enticing to foreign oil companies. About 30 small and medium-sized firms signed contracts with the Kurdish regional government despite Baghdad’s warnings that the agreements were illegal.

Dallas News