Kurdistan PM, Iraqi President look to constitution to solve Erbil-Baghdad issues
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Prime Minister of the autonomous Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, on Tuesday met with Iraqi President, Barham Salih, to discuss issues between Erbil and Baghdad to be resolved on the basis of the Iraqi Constitution.
Barzani, heading the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation, highlighted the need to intensify efforts for a proper dialogue and resort to the constitution to find a common ground to improve bilateral relations, according to the press office of the Iraqi President.
#HappeningNow: The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region @masrour_barzani meets with Iraqi President @BarhamSalih in Baghdad.#TwitterKurds #Iraq pic.twitter.com/zbsagMl4z0
— Kurdistan 24 English (@K24English) July 16, 2019
It is the first visit of the new KRG cabinet to Baghdad since its formation last Wednesday.
The two sides also discussed the political developments in the country, region, and on the international stage.
Last time the two leaders met was in Erbil on June 10 during Nechirvan Barzani’s inauguration as the President of the Kurdistan Region.
The KRG delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister, Qubad Talabani, Minister of Justice, Firsat Ahmed, Interior Minister, Rebar Ahmed, Minister of Peshmerga, Shorish Ismael, Minister of Finance and Economy, Awat Sheikh-Janab, and Chief of Staff to the Kurdistan Region Presidency, Fawzi Hariri.
Kurdistan wants to have a genuine and constructive partnership with Baghdad. The KRG is fully committed to settling its outstanding issues with our federal counterparts, based on a clear understanding of both parties’ rights and duties as set out in the constitution- mb. pic.twitter.com/xDM3L4zJSG
— Masrour Barzani (@masrour_barzani) July 16, 2019
Barzani also met with Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad, and touched upon improving relations between the two governments and resolving outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.
Editing by Nadia Riva