The legal status of the exploration and production contracts signed under Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq has become a contentious issue. The regime, before it was toppled, had signed contracts with companies from India, China, Russia and several other countries. In 2000, India's ONGC Videsh Ltd had signed an exploration and development contract for Exploration Block 8 in the western desert of Iraq with the Ministry of Oil. This contract may now be in jeopardy if the recent comments of some prominent authorities are any indication.
Russia has gone on record saying that the contracts signed with its companies previously should be "fulfilled in full". Further, Russia's OAO Lukoil has threatened legal action over its rights to a long-standing contract to develop West Qurna oil field. Interestingly, Thamir Ghadhban, the US-appointed de facto Iraqi oil minister, has said Lukoil's contract had been terminated while that of China National Oil & Ga!
s Exploration & Development Corporation contract for Al-Ahdbad field was frozen by "mutual agreement". On the other hand, CNODC has said it has received no official notification over the status of its contract with the former regime.
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