Parl. speaker meets MPs to discuss oil minister questioning

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Parliament Speaker Iyad al-Samarraie discussed at his office in Baghdad on Sunday with legislators a request to question Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani, according to a statement by Samarraie’s office. “During a meeting with Ali Hussein Balu, the chairman of the parliament’s oil & gas committee, and legislator Jaber Khalifa, the committee’s rapporteur, the speaker discussed issues pertaining to Iraq’s oil policies and the request by a number of lawmakers to question the oil minister,” read the statement as received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “I won’t impede any questioning to any minister or official as long as they are within the standard legal frameworks,” Samarraie said during the meeting. He called to “focus on whatever serves Iraq and its people to wake up from the horrible economic nightmare that overshadowed the country”. AmR (P)/SR 1