BAGHDAD, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Oil Ministry on Thursday warned the world states and all oil companies against striking deals with the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan without authorizations of the federal government.
The endeavor of some officials and foreign oil companies to conclude oil deals inside Iraq without the knowledge of the Iraqi federal Oil Ministry "is a blatant interference in Iraqi internal affairs and a violation of its national sovereignty and a clear violation of international norms," an Oil Ministry statement quoted its minister Jabbar Luaiby as saying.
"The federal government and the federal Oil Ministry are the only entities that have the constitutional and legal powers in conclusion of contracts and agreements that relate to the development and investment of oil and gas wealth," the statement said.
"Otherwise, these agreements and contracts are illegal and non-binding to the Iraqi state and give the government and the ministry the right to take legal action in domestic and international courts to protect Iraq's national wealth," it added.
The statement came a few days after the Iraqi forces retook control of the oil installations, oil fields and pipelines in the oil-rich Kirkuk province and other disputed areas outside the Kurdish region.
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also the commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, ordered government forces to enter the oil-rich Kirkuk province in northern Iraq to regain control of the ethnically-mixed disputed areas.
Tensions are escalating between Baghdad and the region of Kurdistan after the Kurds held a controversial referendum on the independence of the Kurdistan region and the disputed areas.
The independence of Kurdistan is opposed not only by the Iraqi central government, but also by most other countries as it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and undermine the fight against IS militants.
Iraq's neighboring countries, especially Turkey, Iran and Syria, fear that the Iraqi Kurds' pursuit of independence threatens their territorial integrity, as large Kurdish populations live in those countries.
