Allawi Bloc Says Iraq Oil, Gas Licenses Illegal

The political bloc led by former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said today that oil and natural-gas development contracts awarded by the outgoing government of Nuri al-Maliki are illegal and may be canceled.

Allawi’s bloc, which won the largest number of seats in March elections, said it “strongly condemns the outgoing government’s actions to offer license rounds with long-term contracts and overstepping its constitutional mandates.”