Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (gov.krd) – A meeting between Kurdistan Regional Government’s Oil and Gas Council and a delegation from Kurdistan Parliament was held yesterday to discuss the financial crisis in the Kurdistan Region and the pending issues between Erbil and the Federal Government of Iraq.

Kurdistan Parliament’s delegation included the Speaker, his two deputies, the heads of political parties’ parliamentary groups, head of the energy and natural resources committee and head of the economic, financial and investment parliamentary committee. The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Oil and Gas Council included KRG Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Finance and Economy and Minister of Planning.

They discussed the latest developments in Kurdistan and Iraq and, focusing particularly on the budget, natural resources and ways to implement genuine reforms aimed at easing the financial crisis which the Kurdistan Region is going through.

They stressed the importance of adopting a unified Kurdish policy and stance towards Baghdad. It was agreed that the continuation of dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad was necessary and work to ensure that the Kurdistan Region receives its share from Iraq’s federal budget which was approved earlier this year by the Iraqi parliament.

They agreed on the need for increased cooperation between the Parliament of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Regional Government particularly in adopting plans that would help easing the financial crisis. The need to undertake reforms in a number of sectors, coupled with increased transparency across all government institutions and ministries, were also discussed in the meeting.

The members of the Kurdistan Parliament delegation reiterated their support to the Kurdistan Regional Government in its efforts to establishing a road map for settling the current crisis that the Kurdistan Region passes through. It was, finally agreed that the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resource will publish all the information related to its activities on a weekly basis on its official website, particularly those related to the amounts of oil produced and exported.

On 26^th Dec, 2014 the president of Kurdistan parliament, In an interview received,  Ali Larijani, head of the Iranian Consultative Council , who was delighted to visit the Kurdistan Parliament and met with the President of the Parliament and the heads of parliamentary blocs of Kurdistan Parliament, stressing on the historical relations between the two sides and the Iranian assistance to the Kurdish people, especially during the period of dictatorship rule in Iraq, referring to the aid provided by the republic Islamic to Kurdish people during and after the fall of the dictatorial regime to establish a democratic system, the head of the Iranian Consultative Council insist on the need to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two sides during the coming period, and about the threat of terrorism organize ISIS terrorist.

For his part, Dr. Yousef Mohammad Sadiq President of the Kurdistan Parliament showed his happiness for visiting the Iranian parliament to the Kurdistan region and builds strong bilateral relations between the two sides, hoping this relation between the Kurdistan Parliament and Iranian Parliament.

The President of the Kurdistan parliament, Dr. Yusuf Muhammad Sadiq, and his accompanied delegation, including of the representatives of the minority ethnic groups in Kurdistan, was received by the foreign minister of Holland, Frans Timmermans, on Wednesday, September 10, 2014. In a meeting, Dr Yusuf asked the Holland’s government to cooperate with the Kurdistan regional government (KRG) in the war against Islamic State (IS) militants since Peshmerga forces fight IS in the name of the world in order to protect human values.

On the invitation of the Holland parliament and in order to introduce the latest situation of Kurdistan and its fight against terror, on Sunday, September 7, 2014, the president of Kurdistan parliament, Dr. Yusuf Muhammad Sadiq, went to Holland. This visit is to inform the Holland parliament about the war crimes of IS in Shingal, a city in Kurdistan whose civil people were massacred in the last August.

Kurdistan parliament speaker, Dr. Yusif Muhammad Sadiq, and the delegation accompanied with him, came back to Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan region, after a one-week visit to Holland. The main goal of the visit was to meet Holland’s politicians and to supply humanitarian, political, and military aids for the Kurdistan region.

On 17 August 2014 Dr. Yusif Muhammad Sadiq, Kurdistan parliament president, visited the fronts of battle against ISIS in Khanaqin and Jalawla. Dr. Yusif said that the purpose of his visit is to learn about the needs of Peshmarga forces and to see the situation life of the refugees in the region as well. He thanked Peshmarga forces and promised that Kurdistan parliament tries to equalize their rights with the military forces in Baghdad.

The president of Kurdistan parliament also went to Khanaqin and visited a number of people of Kakais, another ethnic-religious group in Kurdistan, and asserted, “We do not allow ISIS to commit another crime here, and the tragedy happened to Yazidis and Christian in Shangal and Musil should not be repeated here”. He added that Kurdistan parliament is determined to pass some laws in order to protect ethnic and religious minorities in Kurdistan and to verify their civil rights completely”.

During his meeting with (Lancs Mackie) British Consul in Erbil, who visited the parliament Dr. Yousef Mohammad Sadiq the president of the Kurdistan Parliament stressed on the need of the UK Nations contribution in providing assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government in this circumstance, he also hopes that the British government offer humanitarian aid to displaced and the British government will be pioneer to provide such assistance.

The President of the Parliament of Kurdistan during the meeting talked  About the humanitarian situation through which displaced people from different areas faced, nowadays.

The security situation of the areas and the conditions of the Peshmerga forces that address for terrorists witnessed, that humanitarian conditions of the displaced are not good and they need a helping hand and provide the basic necessities for living and we hope that the British government help in providing services to them, such as humanitarian aid and military, logistical aid to the Peshmerga to protect Kurdistan from the terrorist.

For his part, Lancs Mackie British Consul in Erbil thanks  President of Kurdistan Parliament on the information that he provided during the meeting about the current situation in the region and the difficult conditions for the displaced of Kurdistan and information about the conditions of the Peshmerga forces, describing the activities of the Kurdistan Parliament and interest in the conditions of the displaced terms, stressing that his country supports Kurdistan in all circumstances and that the British government will contribute humanitarian assistance to the displaced, hoping to end the outstanding problems between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government in Baghdad.

On 13th August 2014, Dr. Yusif Muhammad Sadiq, the president of Kurdistan parliament, received Clouya Ross, the deputy head of Germany parliament. In the meeting Dr. Yusif explained the late events of the region, the life condition of the refugees in Kurdistan after IS attacks, and the situation of Peshmarga forces in the fronts.

 Regarding the refugees, he said, “The refugees live in a very difficult situation. Since the Kurdish Regional government has not received its own share from Iraq budget in 2014, we cannot provide sufficient aid for the refugees. This is why we require urgent help from international community and humanitarian organizations”. Dr Yusif added, “What happened to Yezizis was another Holocaust; hundreds of thousands of innocent people died of lack of food and water”.

About Peshmarga forces Kurdistan parliament president clarified,” they can defend Kurdistan, but in the past Iraqi government did not support us to strengthen our military capacities. We really thank US and European countries for their prompt and significant cooperation with Peshmarga forces”.

On her part, the deputy head of Germany parliament said,” Germany is confident to support Kurdistan in fighting terrorists”. She also expressed her concern about the situation of Christian and Yezidis refugees in Shangal and Musil”.

About the relationship between KRG and Iraqi government, she said,” We are worried about the financial crisis in Kurdistan, and we hope that the Iraqi government sends back Kurdistan budget as soon as possible”.