In the hot seat: Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani
Shahristani showdown set for tomorrow
Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain Shahristani will appear before parliament tomorrow instead of Wednesday this week because of his plans to go on the Muslim haj pilgrimage, lawmakers said.
Iraq's government and lawmakers are divided over who has the right to authorise foreign oil deals, and parliamentarians want to question Shahristani over his distribution of the nation's oil wealth.
"Parliament approved the oil minister's request to push his quizzing date to 10 November, and we are ready to conduct this long awaited quiz," oil and gas committee secretary Jabir Khalifa Jabir said to Reuters today.
The minister will be questioned by the full chamber starting at 2 p.m./1100 GMT, said the office of deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiya and members of the oil and gas committee.
The much-criticised Shahristani has beaten back opponents before in heated sessions in parliament.
Last week, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki slammed lawmakers for summoning the oil minister, saying it gave the wrong signal to investors in Iraq's oil sector that is being rebuilt after years of conflict, sanctions and strife.
British oil major BP and China National Petroleum Corporation signed Iraq's first major new oil deal since the 2003 US-led invasion last week.