Iraqi cabinet backs draft oil law

BBC

The Iraqi government has approved an amended draft law on how to share the country's oil wealth, officials say.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said parliament would begin debating the bill on Wednesday.

There are no details about changes to the original draft, which Kurdish groups objected to.

Correspondents say distribution of oil revenues is a key concern for Sunni Arab groups, who live in areas which are mostly without oil reserves.

The original draft, approved by the cabinet in February, stipulated that a state oil company would take control of oilfields away from regional governments.

But Kurdish organisations said such moves were unconstitutional......