In a telephone call, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi for the liberation of the city of Tikrit by Iraqi forces from ISIS terrorists. The Iraqi PM also congratulated President Barzani for the recent successes of the Peshmerga forces against the terrorists. They underlined the importance of cooperation and coordination between the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga forces to defeat the ISIS terrorists.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (gov.krd) – A Kurdistan Regional Government senior delegation, headed by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani was received in Baghdad yesterday by Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and a number of Iraq’s federal government officials. The two sides held two meetings during this one day visit of the Kurdistan Region delegation to Baghdad.

The main objective of the meetings was to discuss the implementation of the agreement reached last December between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq on oil export and budgetary issues.

During the meeting, it became apparent that due to the financial crisis in Iraq and the lack of liquidity, the Iraqi government is unable to pay the Kurdistan Region’s share of January and February from the federal budget.

The two sides agreed to continue holding further talks in order to find an appropriate solution to the situation.

Regarding the implementation of the December agreement, the Kurdistan Regional Government delegation presented a timetable for the export of oil from the Kurdistan Region, which was accepted by the Federal Government of Iraq. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement, while working to settle the immediate problem facing the agreement due to the financial crisis that affects whole of Iraq.

The two sides also discussed the latest developments in Iraq, the war against the Islamic State terrorist organization, ISIS, and the importance of coordination between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi Army in the fight against terrorism.

In his visit to Baghdad, Prime Minister Barzani was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister, Qubad Talabani, the Chief of Staff to President of the Kurdistan Region, Dr. Fuad Hussein, Minister of Natural Resources, Ashti Hawrami, Minister of Planning, Ali Sindi, Minister of Finance and Economy, Rebaz Muhammad and KRG spokesperson, Minister Safeen Dizayee.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (gov.krd) - Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday in Erbil met members of the Iraqi Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee.

During the meeting, which was also attended by the Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and a number of ministers, both sides discussed the agreement reached last December between the Federal Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on oil export. They also discussed issues related to oil and gas law, the role of the Committee in following up and monitoring the latest agreement as well as all other oil and gas issues in Iraq.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the Kurdistan Region deals with hydrocarbon file in line with the rights enshrined for the Region in Iraq’s Federal Constitution. He said that the Kurdistan Regional Government, throughout the phases of exploration, production and export of its oil, has not committed any unconstitutional act. He pointed out that Kurdistan Region oil policy is fully based on the Region’s constitutional rights. For this reason, he urged the Committee to monitor, observe and follow up the entire process in the Kurdistan Region.

Prime Minister Barzani stressed KRG’s commitment to the agreement reached with the Federal Government of Iraq, hoping to reach a full agreement with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi on settling all the outstanding issues between the two sides. The Prime Minister urged that the Iraqi Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee to play a role as a third party, monitoring the implementation of the agreement. He expressed Kurdistan Regional Government’s willingness to cooperate and coordinate with the Committee in any manner that it deems appropriate.

The Head and members of the Iraqi Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee expressed their pleasure for visiting Kurdistan Region, where they held a number of meetings. They called for greater cooperation and coordination between their committee and the Kurdistan Parliament Oil and Gas Committee as well as the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources and other relevant bodies. They stressed that the Committee will play an efficient role in helping resolve the outstanding issues between both regional and federal governments in order to serve the public interest of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi met in Munich today. Following their meeting which was held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the two leaders spoke to the media. They both said that they had a positive meeting and that they both agreed to work more closely together.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi spoke by phone with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on Friday to congratulate the President and the peshmerga forces for their recent gains against the ISIS terrorists, particularly in successfully breaking the siege of Mount Sinjar.

The Iraqi Prime Minster also reiterated Iraqi government’s full support to the efforts of the peshmerga forces in the fight against terrorism and underlined the importance of stronger cooperation between the two sides in this effort.

Nazem Dabbagh in talk with international journalist of ANA News Agency concerning introducing Haider Al-Abadi for ministry post of Iraq said: KRG earlier opposed Nuri Al-Maleki’s management in Iraq and believed that he and the coalition of the law prevent Iraq from advancing. The representative of KR in Iran stated: we have not got any problem with Mr. Maleki personally, but it is his thoughts that should not be considered to manage Iraq. Phrasing that we criticize the way of country managing in past years he said: furthermore it is better a new person come to power.

He added: the introduction of Haider Al-Abadi for the prime ministry post will accelerate the process of democracy in Iraq and we hope that Mr. Ebadi not follow Nuri Maleki. The repeated choice of Mr. Maleki as the PM of Iraq causes the problems to be aggravated and continued in Iraq. Dabbagh added: we hope Mr. Al-Abadi smoothes out the ways to found an all-inclusive government and follows the constitution. About Nuri Al-Maleki’s opposition with new Prime Minister said: Mr. Maleki will do everything to stay in power that is why he opposes.

The representative of KRG in Tehran said that: his opposition will not effect on recent events in Iraq. He got only 26 ballots even in his fraction. About the role of Jalal Talibani to keep Iraq calm and to dissolve the current differences in Iraq he said; the role of Talibani to keep Iraq in peace from past to now has been proved and no one has been able to fill up his vacuum. In addition Dabbagh concerning holding a referendum in KR said: regarding the current situation of Iraq it has been postponed further time. In response to question concerning whether Masoud Barzani the president of KRG gives his position up, he insisted: no, he does not so, as I said it has been postponed further time. Dabbagh said: we want a collaborative and real government without the presence of those who have been not succeeded in managing the country.

The change of Nuri Maleki was so positive and we expect Haider Al-Abadi to start with new thought and plan and not to redo what Maleki has caused. In Parliament it can be said Abadi has got his own positive ballot and only he may face few problems concerning ministers.

At last the responsibility of prime ministry in Iraq is with Shia and they count on Abadi therefore about Mr. Maleki’s position toward the introduction of Haider Al-Abadi we can say unfortunately he has got rash and hard-core thoughts. Six months ago I said that Nuri Maleki would not abandon the power by himself.

Therefore the next concern is the army of Iraq that cannot be counted on as expected since the operation of the army against ISIS was witnessed. On the other hand with the establishment of new government the army also will change. In Iraq there is a principle that as soon as one abandons the job he will be forgotten and that is why Maleki is concerned to be vanished from policy world due to not to have any powerful position.

But the other matter that is so important is Kurds of Iraq. The government of Kurdistan Region has announced that they wanted a new comprehensive and new to respect the rights of Kurds and other tribes of Iraq or else we would put referendum concerning separation.