BAGHDAD - Sunni Arab and Kurdish politicians and a powerful Shiite party said Wednesday they had not agreed to a draft bill to regulate the country's oil industry, raising the possibility of new delays in a major piece of benchmark legislation sought for months by the United States.
It appeared unlikely parliament would begin debate on the measure Wednesday as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had announced it would. A day earlier, al-Maliki said his Cabinet had approved the draft bill and was sending it to the legislature.
American officials are hoping that passage of the oil bill and companion legislation to distribute oil revenues will help rally Sunni support for the government and reduce backing for the insurgents.
But deep differences between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds in al-Maliki's coalition have frustrated attempts to get a draft to parliament, and despite al-Maliki's optimism they appeared still unresolved.......
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