Erbil-Baghdad oil issue to be resolved in six months: Iraqi official
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The oil issue between Erbil and Baghdad will be resolved in the coming six months through the parliament, an Iraqi official told Rudaw on Friday.
“There is significant progress in the relations of Erbil and Baghdad. At this stage, the delegations are ready to resume visits and hopefully we will reach an agreement to resolve the issues through drafting a relevant law in less than six months,” Laith Abdul-Hussein, head of Iraqi oil ministry's legal office, told Rudaw’s Mohammed Sheikh Fatih on Friday.
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 Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly challenged the constitutionality of the court’s ruling.
After he was tasked with the formation of the new government and appointed prime minister-designate recently, Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said that the upcoming Iraqi government will be committed to work “according to the constitution” in strengthening the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad, and “settling disputes and issues that have been lingering for a long time.”
Abdul-Hussein said that the new cabinet’s agenda “clearly states the importance of resolving oil issues between Baghdad and Erbil. These issues have been there for years but will be resolved in the coming six months.”
Erbil-Baghdad issues are related to the analysis of the Iraqi Constitution's articles, he noted.
Sudani said Tuesday that Erbil and Baghdad have the willingness to resolve pressing issues between them, adding that they should do so “professionally.”
“Regarding issues - such as oil, budget, border crossings and others - between Baghdad and Erbil, they should be resolved. They should not continue. There is a serious willingness from the [Kurdistan] Region,” he said during a presser in Baghdad, adding that Baghdad is also willing to resolve the issues.
“There is significant progress in the relations of Erbil and Baghdad. At this stage, the delegations are ready to resume visits and hopefully we will reach an agreement to resolve the issues through drafting a relevant law in less than six months,” Laith Abdul-Hussein, head of Iraqi oil ministry's legal office, told Rudaw’s Mohammed Sheikh Fatih on Friday.
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 Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly challenged the constitutionality of the court’s ruling.
After he was tasked with the formation of the new government and appointed prime minister-designate recently, Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said that the upcoming Iraqi government will be committed to work “according to the constitution” in strengthening the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad, and “settling disputes and issues that have been lingering for a long time.”
Abdul-Hussein said that the new cabinet’s agenda “clearly states the importance of resolving oil issues between Baghdad and Erbil. These issues have been there for years but will be resolved in the coming six months.”
Erbil-Baghdad issues are related to the analysis of the Iraqi Constitution's articles, he noted.
Sudani said Tuesday that Erbil and Baghdad have the willingness to resolve pressing issues between them, adding that they should do so “professionally.”
“Regarding issues - such as oil, budget, border crossings and others - between Baghdad and Erbil, they should be resolved. They should not continue. There is a serious willingness from the [Kurdistan] Region,” he said during a presser in Baghdad, adding that Baghdad is also willing to resolve the issues.