Iraqi PM reiterates promise to pay salaries of Kurdistan employees following ‘positive’ meetings

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday expressed his desire to resolve all differences with Kurdistan, adding he was serious about paying the salaries of employees in the Region.

“The atmosphere is positive with the Kurdistan Region, and we have a desire to resolve all outstanding differences between the two sides,” Abadi said during his weekly press conference in Baghdad.

“Committees have been formed, and dialogue regarding border crossings, airports, salaries, and other matters are continuing,” he added. “The brothers in the Region demonstrated their willingness to cooperate with us.”

On Monday, a delegation from the Iraqi government, consisting of 19 officials, arrived in Erbil to discuss the international flight ban on the Kurdistan Region’s airports, disputes over the control of border crossings, oil exports, and revenue sharing.

In a joint statement, the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region delegations revealed that five separate bilateral meetings were held on the matters mentioned above.

Karim Shingali, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Minister of Interior, noted that the meetings were “good and successful,” adding the two delegations “reached very good agreements on the outstanding issues.”

Relations between the Iraqi government and the KRG considerably deteriorated following Kurdistan’s Sep. 25 independence referendum.

Although an overwhelming majority voted for statehood, Baghdad responded by imposing collective punitive measures against the Region including an international flight ban and the use of military force in disputed areas.

Senior Kurdistan Region officials continue to urge the Iraqi government to avoid violence and begin negotiations to address their differences peacefully.