A panel of OPEC representatives who interviewed candidates to replace the group's outgoing Secretary General in October recommended that either the Saudi or Iraqi candidates for the job be chosen, said two OPEC delegates Wednesday.

The Saudi candidate, Majid Munif, scored highest in the interviews, followed by the Iraqi, Thamir Ghadhban, and finally the Iranian, Gholam-Hossein Nozari, said one senior OPEC delegate.

The Saudi and Iraqi candidates received the panel's recommendation, said another OPEC delegate from a country outside the Persian Gulf region.

United Arab Emirates oil minister, Mohammad al-Hamli, appeared earlier Wednesday to rule out the Iranian candidate. "Both Saudi and Iraqi candidates are very highly qualified...we have now a short list of two," said Mr. al-Hamli.

Iran insisted Wednesday that its candidate is qualified and still in the running for the leadership position.

Discussions over who should be the new secretary general look set to be "very harsh", said the senior OPEC delegate before the meeting began. A third OPEC delegate said discussions over the post at the meeting Wednesday had so far been "heated".

If the group is unable to choose its new leader, to replace Libyan national Abdalla Salem el-Badri, who retires at the end of the year, industry experts say it could mean it is ill-prepared to deal with the many challenges ahead.

The possibility remains that Mr. El-Badri could be asked to temporarily delay his retirement by six months if a candidate cannot be agreed Wednesday, but Mr. Hamli insisted that a permanent replacement must be chosen now. "We don't need an acting secretary general, we want a new permanent secretary general," he said.
Ακολουθήστε το energia.gr στο Google News!Παρακολουθήστε τις εξελίξεις με την υπογραφη εγκυρότητας του energia.gr

Διαβάστε ακόμα