Talabani, Sudani discuss delayed Kurdistan Region salaries

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss the often delayed payments of the salaries of Kurdistan Region’s civil servants.

In a Facebook post, Talabani said they "discussed fundamental solutions to the problems between Erbil and Baghdad. The president of the PUK called on the prime minister of Iraq to not allow political conflicts to become an obstacle to sending the rights and financial dues of the employees of the Kurdistan Region."

A brief statement from Sudani’s office did not mention the salary issue, but said the prime minister “reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fulfilling the aspirations of the Iraqi people by continuing the implementation of the government program and highlighted the essential service role of executive institutions across all regions of Iraq.”

He also highlighted “the government’s efforts to develop the national economy and achieve comprehensive development.”

Financial disputes have marred ties between Erbil and Baghdad for more than a decade. The Iraqi government cut the Kurdistan Region’s share of the federal budget in 2014, after which Erbil began to unilaterally export crude oil and relied on these funds as its primary income. Low oil prices and the war with the Islamic State (ISIS), however, hit the government’s finances.

Civil servants have borne the brunt of austerity measures. Their monthly salaries were frequently delayed or reduced. The salaries are now being paid by Baghdad.

The unpaid salaries crisis in the Kurdistan Region has been aggravated the past two years following the suspension of Kurdish oil exports in March 2023. This suspension came after a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad that Ankara violated a 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to independently export oil.

Negotiations between Iraqi and Kurdish officials, along with international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, have yet to yield concrete results. The oil companies demand payment guarantees and contractual security, Baghdad insists on federal oversight, and Erbil seeks a resolution that safeguards its economic interests.

Talabani and Sudani also discussed the importance of keeping the country out of regional tensions, according to the statement from Talabani.

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