Iraq PM: Investment threatened

BAGHDAD: Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki attacked lawmakers on Tuesday for summoning the oil minister to discuss his distribution of the nation's oil wealth, saying this sent the wrong message to those wanting to invest in Iraq.

Iraq's government and lawmakers are divided over who has the right to authorize foreign oil deals, and parliamentarians are set to question Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani on Nov 11.

The prime minister said that insurgents aimed to deter investors and weaken the government with twin suicide attacks last week, and the parliamentarians' summoning of the oil minister might also undermine investor confidence.