Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani told the press that Kurdistan Regional Government is committed to the agreement reached between Erbil and Baghdad last December on oil export and Kurdistan Region's share in the 2015 federal budget.
In a meeting held yesterday with representatives of media outlets in Kurdistan Region, Prime Minister Barzani highlighted the technical and political problems and obstacles which stood as impediments to the implementation of the budget law.
Prime Minister Barzani stated that the KRG will exert all its efforts to overcome the problems and obstacles that hamper the implementation of the agreement, adding that the Kurdistan Region’s priority is to resolve the outstanding issues with the federal government and the implementation of 2015 budget law. This is in the interest of the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq.
Prime Minister Barzani said, however, if the Iraqi government was not to honour the agreement, the Kurdistan Region will have no other options but to look elsewhere for solutions. He reaffirmed that the Kurdistan Region has so far honoured its obligations towards Baghdad.
Regarding the Kurdistan Region’s oil policy, the Prime Minister stressed that it is in line with Iraqi federal constitution and that the Kurdistan Region will use all its constitutional rights regarding the oil sector and will not waive its constitutional rights.
He told the press that Baghdad is important for the Kurdistan Region not only in oil field but also in trade, security, military and economic cooperation as well as many other areas, and for this, he is ready to visit Baghdad to find longterm solutions for all the issues.
The meeting with the press was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister, Qubad Talabani, KRG Minister of Natural Resources, Dr Ashti Hawrami, Minister of Culture, Khalid Doski, Minister of Planning, Ali Sindi and the Minister of Finance and Economy, Rebaz Muhammad.
Deputy Prime Minister Talabani highlighted KRG plans on how to address the problems that have emerged as the result of the financial crisis and the war against the Islamic State terrorist organisation, also known as ISIS, in addition to the large numbers of refugees and displaced people who fled ISIS violent repression and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region. He said that the government is confident that the plans to combat these problems will succeed.
The KRG Minister of Natural Resources, Dr Ashti Hawrami briefed the press about the technical aspects of the agreement with the Federal Government of Iraq, reiterating that as stipulated in the agreement, oil is being exported to the Turkish Ceyhan port on a daily basis.