Poll: 63% of Iraqis Oppose Privatizing Nation's Oil Resources

A new public opinion poll, has found that a majority of Iraqis oppose plans to open the country's oilfields to foreign investment. 63% of respondents said they would prefer Iraq's oil to be developed and produced by Iraqi public sector companies rather than foreign multinationals. The US government has been pressing Baghdad to pass an oil law by September but most Iraqis say they do not feel adequately informed about the law. Meanwhile UPI is reporting a top member of the Iraqi prime minister's party says the new oil law should be delayed until U.S. occupation forces leave Iraq. Ali al-Adeeb said the Iraq National Oil Company should take the lead in developing and managing Iraq's discovered but undeveloped oil.