KRG delegation in Baghdad to resolve outstanding issues
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) arrived in Baghdad on Sunday in a bid to strengthen ties with Iraq’s newly appointed government and resolve outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.
According to a statement from the KRG, the delegation aims to discuss a variety of topics with Iraqi officials, including “the Kurdistan Region’s participation in federal institutions, the constitutional rights of the Peshmerga, Article 140 of the disputed territories, the oil and gas law, while it also seeks resolve the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.”
“It is in our agenda to meet with the Iraqi government Ministry of Finance to prepare the draft of the 2023 budget bill and to meet with other Iraqi government officials on several issues,” KRG spokesperson Jotiar Adil, who is among the delegation, said in the statement.
This will be the first KRG delegation to visit Baghdad for talks with the federal government since Mohammed Shia al-Sudani assumed the office of Iraqi prime minister.
Several rounds of talks between Erbil and Baghdad have previously been fruitless, and political instability in Baghdad and inability to elect a new government for over a year put a halt to negotiations between the two sides.
The KRG formed a delegation to partake in negotiations with Baghdad over the outstanding issues between the two sides earlier this month.
A KRG statement at the time said that the delegation had been tasked with engaging in the negotiations “as soon as possible” and “in accordance with the constitution.”
Tension between Erbil and Baghdad has been high since the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court in February deemed the Kurdistan Region’s oil and gas law “unconstitutional”, hence striking the independence of the Region’s energy sector and jeopardizing its industry. The KRG has repeatedly challenged the constitutionality of the court’s ruling.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani earlier this month said that Erbil and Baghdad are willing to resolve the pressing issues between them, stressing that they should do so “professionally.”
Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani at the time said that drafting a joint hydrocarbons law between Erbil and Baghdad is crucial for resolving the outstanding issues between the two governments.
According to a statement from the KRG, the delegation aims to discuss a variety of topics with Iraqi officials, including “the Kurdistan Region’s participation in federal institutions, the constitutional rights of the Peshmerga, Article 140 of the disputed territories, the oil and gas law, while it also seeks resolve the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.”
“It is in our agenda to meet with the Iraqi government Ministry of Finance to prepare the draft of the 2023 budget bill and to meet with other Iraqi government officials on several issues,” KRG spokesperson Jotiar Adil, who is among the delegation, said in the statement.
This will be the first KRG delegation to visit Baghdad for talks with the federal government since Mohammed Shia al-Sudani assumed the office of Iraqi prime minister.
Several rounds of talks between Erbil and Baghdad have previously been fruitless, and political instability in Baghdad and inability to elect a new government for over a year put a halt to negotiations between the two sides.
The KRG formed a delegation to partake in negotiations with Baghdad over the outstanding issues between the two sides earlier this month.
A KRG statement at the time said that the delegation had been tasked with engaging in the negotiations “as soon as possible” and “in accordance with the constitution.”
Tension between Erbil and Baghdad has been high since the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court in February deemed the Kurdistan Region’s oil and gas law “unconstitutional”, hence striking the independence of the Region’s energy sector and jeopardizing its industry. The KRG has repeatedly challenged the constitutionality of the court’s ruling.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani earlier this month said that Erbil and Baghdad are willing to resolve the pressing issues between them, stressing that they should do so “professionally.”
Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani at the time said that drafting a joint hydrocarbons law between Erbil and Baghdad is crucial for resolving the outstanding issues between the two governments.