Chad president orders Chevron, Petronas to leave

N'DJAMENA, Aug 26 (Reuters) Chad's President Idriss Deby ordered US oil firm Chevron and Malaysia's Petronas to leave the central African country as of Sunday for failing to honour tax obligations.

''From tomorrow, the representatives of Chevron and Petronas must leave Chad and close their offices,'' the Chadian president told a government meeting.

The surprise move followed Chad's decision to create a new national oil company, which it said should become a partner in the country's oil producing consortium, led by US major Exxon Mobil and including Chevron and Petronas.

''Chad must get involved in the production of its oil to control its wealth and develop and increase its participation in the (consortium) pipeline,'' Deby said, referring to the 250,000 barrels per day pipeline which carries Chadian crude to the Cameroon coast.

Deby said the government had asked Chevron and Petronas this month to honour corporate tax obligations in their contracts.

''Unfortunately the government has received no reaction from the two partners,'' Deby said.

REUTERS PDM RK2135