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November 12, 2009

Influential US Diplomat Could Profit from Iraqi-Kurdish Oil Ties
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In other Iraq news, an influential American diplomat is facing growing
scrutiny for standing to profit from oil interests in Iraq’s northern
Kurdish region. Peter Galbraith was a key adviser to the Iraqi Kurdish
government during 2005 negotiations for a national constitution.
Galbraith helped the Kurds win provisions assuring control over oil
wealth free from the central government in Baghdad. But last month a
Norwegian newspaper revealed Galbraith stands to make over $100 million
from interests in a Norwegian oil company and a stake in a potentially
lucrative Kurdish oilfield in northern Iraq. Galbraith worked for the
oil company DNO at the same time as he took part in the talks on Iraq’s
constitution. He has been a leading advocate for decentralizing the
Iraqi government and dividing the country along ethnic lines. Galbraith
recently made headlines over his dismissal from the UN mission in
Afghanistan after accusing his superiors of covering up electoral fraud.



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