Kuwaiti MPs press for probe of Halliburton fuel sale deal

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040210/wl_mideast_afp/kuwait_us_iraq&cid=1514&ncid=1480

KUWAIT CITY (AFP) - Kuwaiti lawmakers vowed to launch their own probe into allegations that state oil company officials profited from a deal with US oil services giant Halliburton to supply fuel to the US military in Iraq. snip

But angry MPs said Monday that the minister's action was not enough and warned the issue could hurt strategic US-Kuwaiti ties. snip

A draft US audit disclosed in December that the US government had been overcharged by some 61 million dollars for oil purchased through a Halliburton subcontractor in Kuwait. snip

Halliburton, which used to be run by US Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites), said last month that it had repaid the government 6.3 million dollars following allegations that two employees took kickbacks in exchange for awarding a Kuwait-based company an oil contract for US troops in Iraq.

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