PM Barzani and Tillerson stress 'political dialogue' with Baghdad in phone call

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson both emphasized the need for political negotiations to begin between Erbil and Baghdad in a phone call on Friday, according to a statement from Barzani’s office.

 

“US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed his concerns over the tensions between Erbil and Baghdad and reemphasized the support of the United States for the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq,” read the Kurdish statement released on Friday night. 

 

He also hoped that the existing ceasefire and security dialogue between Iraqi and Kurdish military officials “will be turned into a political dialogue to solve the problems between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.”

 

There was no immediate statement from Tillerson’s office.

 

PM Barzani, despite expressing concerns over Baghdad’s continued military advances, stressed “the full readiness of the Kurdistan Region to begin political dialogue for the sake of a peaceful solution for the problems.”

 

The prime minister said he hoped the international community, and the United States in particular, will urge Iraq to enter talks and avoid resorting to military options.

 

He added that the Kurdistan Region does not want war as conflict will not solve anything. He said Erbil instead wants “to solve everything with the federal government of Iraq within the framework of the Iraqi constitution.”

 

PM Barzani and his deputy Qubad Talabani hosted US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman in Erbil on Thursday. 

 

During their meeting, Ambassador Silliman expressed his “concerns” over deadly clashes in the disputed areas. He hoped that the two sides would make serious efforts to avoid tensions and begin talks. To achieve this, Silliman said the “continuation of ceasefire is necessary,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

 

The US is overseeing military talks between Iraqi and Kurdish forces regarding the deployment of federal troops to disputed areas and Kurdistan Region’s international borders. No agreement has yet been reached, but talks continued on Thursday in Mosul. 

 

Prime Minister Barzani has assumed new powers after the duties of the president were distributed among the prime ministry, the parliament, and the judiciary following a vote by the parliament on the resignation of former Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani – a move welcomed by the US.

 

The US State Department on Monday expressed its support for the “new leadership” headed by PM Barzani. 

 

Relations between Erbil and Baghdad have reached their lowest point after an Iraqi-led military operation drove Peshmerga forces out of oil-rich Kirkuk and many other disputed areas since October 16, resulting in the worst crisis between the two since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

 

The Kurdistan Region has offered to freeze the outcome of its vote on independence in return for open dialogue with Baghdad in light of the Iraqi constitution, a move welcomed by Washington, but rejected by Baghdad who wants the vote cancelled.