BAGHDAD, Iraq - The long term-oil agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Russian Rosneft has stirred some Iraqi politicians who believe that the deal will have more negative consequences than benefits.
A founder of Iraq’s Shiite al-Dawa party says he is surprised that Russia has started dealing independently with Erbil as it is doing with Baghdad in the oil and gas sector.
“I think the negative consequences of this oil deal are more than its benefits,” Ghalib al-Shabandar, one of the founders of the Islamic Dawa Party told Rudaw. “I think Russia will sensitively deal with this matter and does not make the decision easily.”
Al-Shabandar fears that Russia working with the Kurdistan Region may encourage other groups such as Sunnis and Turkmen to seek more political and governance independence.
The Kurdish Ministry of Natural Resources signed a contract with Russia’s Rosneft on Friday for the exploration of oil, commerce and production of hydrocarbons.
The deal aims to expand trade and economic ties between Erbil and Moscow.
Abdullah Zaidi, in charge of Kurdish affairs at the Shiite National Coalition, told Rudaw: “Any agreement outside the framework of the Iraqi Federal government and without permission and that which violates the Iraqi constitution will increase the trouble between Erbil and Bagdad.”
Zaidi argues that this step by the KRG may be a message from Erbil that it has already started separating from Iraq.
“We have realized that this step by KRG is a political and economic preparation aimed to hold Kurdistan referendum and it is a message to the Federal Government as well,” he said.
