RIL oil deals with Kurdistan dubbed illegal by Iraq

Pacts for two oil blocks signed by Reliance Industries (RIL) in Kurdistan have been dubbed as illegal by the Iraq oil minister alleging that companies signing oil deals with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cannot bid for lucrative oilfields contracts in Iraq. Last year two oil blocks were signed by RIL in northern Iraq with the autonomous KRG. Iraq oil minister has warned any oil produced and taken away without approval of the central government was tantamount to smuggling and will be dealt with accordingly.