BAGHDAD, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Baghdad sees the national constitution as the best venue through which to solve oil disputes with its Kurdish counterparts, the oil ministry said.
Iraqi Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi hosted Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rowsch Nuri Shaways in his Baghdad offices to discuss bilateral ties and laws relating to the oil and natural gas sector.
Shaways is a member of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party.
The oil minister's office said both sides agreed on solving any issues related to oil sales according to the terms of the Iraqi constitution.
The minister said he would increase efforts to find "positive" and "sober plans" to overcome obstacles in the national oil sector, his office said Thursday.
A constitution implemented in 2006 says the federal State Oil Marketing Organization has exclusive control over petroleum exports, with the semiautonomous Kurdistan Regional Government taking 17 percent of all oil revenues.
There are disagreements, however, over what level of control KRG has over contracts and exploitation of oil reserves in its northern territory.
Norwegian energy company DNO said Wednesday it was exporting an average 90,000 barrels of oil per day from its Tawke field in the region to Turkey.
