President Barzani, Iraqi new PM discuss Erbil-Baghdad issues
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani spoke on the phone with Iraq’s new prime minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Friday, discussing pressing issues between Erbil and Baghdad and the need to resolve them, according to a statement from Barzani’s office.
Sudani‘s government was voted in during a tense parliamentary session late Thursday, ending over a year of political deadlock. Kurdish leaders have congratulated the new premiere.
Speaking on the phone with Sudani, President Barzani congratulated him, expressing his and Kurdistan Region’s support for the new cabinet, read a statement from Barzani’s office.
Sudani “hoped that his government will be able to improve the situation in Iraq, with the support of and coordination with the Kurdistan Region,” it added.
Relations between Erbil and Baghdad have been thorny in recent years over the Region’s share in the federal budget, its independent oil exportation and others. The tensions have 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.
The Iraqi previous government threatened foreign companies to suspend their operations in the Kurdistan Region’s oil sector and warned against new contracts with the KRG. It is not clear how Sudani’s cabinet will deal with the issue.
“Both sides stressed the importance and need for cooperation and coordination between the federal government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve Erbil-Baghdad issues on the basis of the constitution and in the framework of the federal system,” continued the readout.
Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani on Thursday expressed his support for the new government, hoping for a “new beginning between Erbil and Baghdad - one that fosters cooperation over conflict and dialogue over confrontation.”
Sudani’s cabinet held its first meeting on Friday, discussing the improvement of government’s operations, with the premiere advising his ministers to “stay away from making hasty decisions and issue orders, changes or amendments in their ministries,” according to a readout from his office.
Sudani‘s government was voted in during a tense parliamentary session late Thursday, ending over a year of political deadlock. Kurdish leaders have congratulated the new premiere.
Speaking on the phone with Sudani, President Barzani congratulated him, expressing his and Kurdistan Region’s support for the new cabinet, read a statement from Barzani’s office.
Sudani “hoped that his government will be able to improve the situation in Iraq, with the support of and coordination with the Kurdistan Region,” it added.
Relations between Erbil and Baghdad have been thorny in recent years over the Region’s share in the federal budget, its independent oil exportation and others. The tensions have 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.
The Iraqi previous government threatened foreign companies to suspend their operations in the Kurdistan Region’s oil sector and warned against new contracts with the KRG. It is not clear how Sudani’s cabinet will deal with the issue.
“Both sides stressed the importance and need for cooperation and coordination between the federal government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve Erbil-Baghdad issues on the basis of the constitution and in the framework of the federal system,” continued the readout.
Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani on Thursday expressed his support for the new government, hoping for a “new beginning between Erbil and Baghdad - one that fosters cooperation over conflict and dialogue over confrontation.”
Sudani’s cabinet held its first meeting on Friday, discussing the improvement of government’s operations, with the premiere advising his ministers to “stay away from making hasty decisions and issue orders, changes or amendments in their ministries,” according to a readout from his office.