Iraq to Invite Firms to Direct Talks

15 July 2008 The Iraqi cabinet has decided to establish a new body to speed up the award of contracts for strategic projects, including in the oil sector, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told International Oil Daily in an interview in Baghdad Monday. It will invite companies directly to compete for and negotiate one type of yet-to-be-determined model contract, even if the long-awaited hydrocarbon law has still to be adopted,…