Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (gov.krd) - Kurdistan Regional Government senior officials and Kurdistan Region’s team in Baghdad yesterday held a meeting at the Council of Ministers building in Erbil.
The Kurdistan Regional Government officials presented a comprehensive clarification on the agreement reached between Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal Iraqi government last December on oil export and budgetary issues.
They reaffirmed KRG’s commitment to honour this agreement which became law in 2015’s federal budget.
The Kurdistan Regional Government officials explained the technical constraints which affects the implementation of the agreement as well as a misunderstanding of some terms of the agreement which the Kurdistan Regional Government is working closely with the Federal Government of Iraq to overcome these obstacles and resolve the issues.
They added that there are also some political sides in Iraq that are trying hard to hamper any improvement occur in relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq.
The role of the Kurdish representatives in the Iraqi parliament and government in ensuring that both sides are committed to the implementation of the agreement between Baghdad and Erbil was highlighted and praised.
In the meeting, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, stated that he was ready to visit Baghdad again in order to find common ground and overcome technical obstacles and misunderstandings.
In this regard he instructed a group of Kurdish ministers in the Federal Government of Iraq to open frank discussions with Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi.
The attendees stressed the importance of the implementation and compliance with the 2015 federal Iraqi budget. The Kurdistan Regional Government officials stated that they request the Iraqi government to deal with the Kurdistan Region and its share in line with what was agreed in this year’s federal budget.
More than one plan on how to pay the salaries of Peshmerga and civil servants were also discussed. They stressed that KRG’s current priority is the provision of salaries for its employees.
It was also decided to hold regular meetings every two months. A committee in charge of coordination between the two sides was formed.