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Peru's energy minister has resigned over allegations that key
government officials were accepting kickbacks in exchange for steering
lucrative oil contracts to a Norwegian-based company.
Energy
Minister Juan Valdivia quit Monday, one day after a local television
program aired a audiotape of a conversation between Alberto Quimper, a
high-ranking official in the state energy agency Perupetro, and a
member in President Alan Garcia's APRA political party.
The conversation involved Discover Petroleum, which was recently awarded four separate oil contracts.
Quimper
and Cesar Gutierrez, the head of the country's state oil operations
company, have been forced from their positions because of the scandal.
Government officials say the contracts awarded to Discover Petroleum have been suspended.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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