Al-Maliki will not seek third term in office

According to reports by Iraqi media, the country's Premier Minister Nouri Al-Maliki will not seek a third term in office when his tenure runs out in 2014. Al-Maliki also proposed to impose a two-term limit on future premiers, and received cross-party backing for the initiative.

Maliki remained in his post as prime minister after inconclusive poll results and nine months of political wrangling were ended by the formation of a new government. Speaking about the limit, al-Maliki said: "The constitution does not prevent a third, fourth or fifth term, but I have personally decided not to seek another term after this one. I support the insertion of a paragraph in the constitution that the prime minister gets only two turns, only eight years, and I think that's enough."

News of his decision come amid continuing pro-democracy protests in the Middle East. Referring to Egypt al-Maliki said,“The people have the right to express what they want without being persecuted. One of the characteristics of a lack of democracy is when a leader rules for 30 or 40 years. It is a difficult issue for people, it is intolerable and change is necessary."

Maliki's comments coincide with an upsurge of scattered protests across Iraq demanding jobs and an end to corruption, inspired by the pro-democracy demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia. Al-Maliki faces many challenges in his second term including, continuing instability and violence, division of oil wealth and the planned withdrawal of US troops by the end of 2011.

Sources: BBC News, Alsumaria, CNN, WSJ, The National

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.

Kurdish region expected to resume oil flow by next year

A dispute between Iraqi Kurdistan and the central government has resulted in suspension of Kurdish oil exports. Speaking about the issue, Iraq's Oil Minister Hussain Al-Shahristani has said that the region will mostly likely resume oil flow next year.

The semi-autonomous northern area - populated primarily by Iraqi Kurds - has been locked in a dispute with Baghdad for a while. The central government deems field development contracts signed between Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and foreign companies to be illegal.

It is estimated that the region could produce up to 150,000 b/d. Commenting on the ongoing dispute, during a conference in Baghdad, Shahristani said, "It is supposed to be resolved and the region will start handing over the oil at the beginning of next year."

Iraq has signed contracts with a number of foreign oil companies; with the intention of increasing output capacity from 2.5million b/d up to 12million b/d. Oil flow from the north could be instrumental in boosting exports, which play a 95 per cent role in the country's federal budget.

The central government of Iraq has insisted on controlling the country's energy resources, including those in northern Iraq. However, Kurdish region's Oil Minister has expressed hope that the contracts signed between the region and foreign investors will be recognised by the new government.

The ongoing dispute between Baghdad and the Kurds extends over land sovereignty, energy resources, foreign investment and revenue dispensation. On the subject of foreign contracts Shahristani said that Baghdad was not interested in the existing contracts, and urged firms working in the north to submit receipts for equipment and other expenses to the central government. He added that the contracts would also be reviewed and that if “they are acceptable and reasonable like the rest of the contracts that have been concluded in the rest of Iraq, the costs will be paid to the companies.”

Source: Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.