Iraqi Parliament Speaker discusses Erbil-Baghdad crisis with PM Abadi

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri on Saturday discussed the latest developments in Iraq and ongoing tensions between Erbil-Baghdad with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

The two discussed ways to resolve the current crisis between the Federal Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), as well as issues related to the Constitution of Iraq “through dialogue that encourages national reconciliation,” according to Jabouri's press office.

Ties between Erbil and Baghdad have considerably deteriorated following the Kurdistan Region’s Sep. 25 independence referendum, which the central government labeled unconstitutional and illegal.

Although the KRG has offered to freeze the results of the referendum and begin a constructive dialogue with Baghdad, Abadi has rejected the offer and calls for full annulment of the independence vote which saw 93 percent voting in favor of secession from Iraq.

Many Kurdish officials have criticized the way Abadi treats the Kurdistan Region, especially since the referendum and Baghdad's attack on Kirkuk and other disputed territories. Hoshyar Zebari, the former Foreign and Finance Minister of Iraq, recently described Abadi as “arrogant and vindictive.”

With the imminent defeat of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, military tensions have intensified between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi government.

Baghdad recently accused the Kurdistan Region of reneging on an agreement reached between the two sides to deploy troops to the border crossings in the Kurdistan Region, but Erbil claims no deal with Baghdad had been reached.

Editing by Nadia Riva