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MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia's embattled central government will not arguewith semi-autonomous Puntland over potential oil revenues for fearof scuttling a fragile peace process, but a top official said onMonday the law made clear control lay with Mogadishu. Canadian firm Horn Petroleum, majority-owned by Vancouver-listedAfrica Oil Corp., and its exploration partners started drilling inMarch in Puntland's Dharoor Block but have yet to announce anyproven reserves. Africa Oil and joint venture partners Range Resource Ltd. (RRS.AX)and Lion Energy entered into production-sharing agreements for theDharoor Valley Exploration Area and the Nugaal Valley ExplorationArea directly with Puntland, bypassing Mogadishu which is grapplingwith an Islamist insurgency. "Our policy is to let the oil come first rather than now going toPuntland and making our point," Deputy Minister of Energy AbdullahiDool told Reuters. "Because of the situation between different regions, we don't wantto push anyone to the wall. We don't want to make too manySomaliland situations where regions want to break away," he said inan interview. Dool was referring to the northern breakaway enclave which declaredindependence in 1991 but is not internationally recognized. "First of all let there be oil. You can't fight when everything isunderground," said the minister, whose portfolio also includeswater, petroleum and mineral resources. Somalia's interim federal government is tasked with adopting a newconstitution by August, aimed in part at redefining therelationship between Mogadishu and the regions and ending atwo-decade cycle of violence. The Western-backed government has been fighting al Shabaabmilitants who still control large swathes of the country and wantto impose Sharia law. Puntland has objected to the first draft of the constitution,saying it left too much power with Mogadishu. WHO GETS WHAT? Dool said the country's petroleum law made clear the governmentshould dictate license agreements with foreign investors, whileensuring the regions get a cut. "It has very clear guidelines on the rules on who gets what andwhat will be the way to resolve (disputes) between centralgovernment and (the) regions," he said. "The petroleum law makes it very clear it is the central governmentwho has absolute control but there is a role for ... localgovernment or regions." Muddying the waters further is the fact that Italian oil explorerEni may still have legal rights to the Dharoor block. Eni was issued a licence by the Somali government in the 1980s toexplore Dharoor. It claimed force majeure as the country plungedinto chaos, with warlords and then Islamist militants filling thepower vacuum. "We abide by every international agreement the governments beforeus have committed to," said Dool. Dool said the Somali government had not approached the Italian oilgiant on the issue as "our first priority is to pacify thecountry". (Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Jason Neely ). The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as 15HP Outboard Motors , China 5HP Outboard Motors, and more. For more , please visit Long Shaft Outboard Motors today!
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