PM Barzani to soon visit Baghdad for talks, including budget

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A high-level Kurdish delegation headed by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and his deputy Qubad Talabani will visit Baghdad "soon" to enter talks on a number of issues such as the Kurdish share of the Iraqi budget, an official told Rudaw.

"The outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad will be discussed, the issue of the budget will be on the agenda of the meeting," DPM Talabani said.

Fuad Hussein, chief of staff of the Kurdish presidency, first revealed the planned visit to Baghdad. He said over the weekend that the visit will take place this week, and that the issue of Kurdish oil will top the agenda.

Saad al-Hadithi, spokesperson for the Iraqi government, said over the weekend however that they were unaware of such visits.

PM Barzani and his Iraqi counterpart have held several meetings since late last year following the all-time low relations between them. Tensions between Baghdad and Erbil rose after the Iraqi-opposed Kurdish vote last fall and the Iraqi military incursion into the then KRG-held disputed areas such as the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in October.

Iraqi and Kurdish governments have yet to agree on the terms of an agreement that may allow an oil-for-budget agreement.

Baghdad wants the Kurdistan Region to hand over the export of oil to the central government in return for a share of the Iraqi budget for 2018.

The budget passed by the Iraqi parliament despite the Kurdish opposition puts the Kurdish share at about 12.6 percent, down from 17 percent.