BAGHDAD, April 20: A former Iraqi general who styles himself as deputy governor of Baghdad announced on Sunday he would head a delegation to an OPEC meeting in Vienna this week.

In another unexpected move on the oil front, Iraqi officials began talks on choosing a new oil minister.

Senior ministry staff met US army officials at the oil ministry — one of the few government buildings to escape rampant looting thanks to US guards — to discuss candidates for the oil minister’s post.

In Vienna, an OPEC source said the delegation, led by Jawdat al-Obeidi and including senior oil officials from former president Saddam Hussein’s government, was due to arrive in Vienna on Wednesday, a day before the meeting starts.

Oil industry insiders said they were surprised that such a senior delegation had been assembled so quickly — while chaos reigns in most areas of Iraqi life — and the move seemed to reflect US efforts to speed reconstruction of the Iraqi oil industry.—Reuters