Kurdistan PM meets with senior Iraqi officials during trip to Baghdad

“All our meetings today were based on mutual understanding of the issues at hand between Erbil and Baghdad.”

Mustafa Shilani 2019/07/16 18:16

middle east Kurdistan Iraq Masrour Barzani KRG Baghdad

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Prime Minister of the autonomous Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, along with a high-level delegation, met separately with senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Tuesday, including his counterpart Adil Abdul Mahdi and Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, to discuss progress in the relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

During his meeting with Abdul Mahdi, Prime Minister Barzani underscored the new Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) readiness “to work together [in cooperation], and strengthen positive relations with the federal government to resolve all outstanding issues in accordance with the Constitution,” a statement on the Iraqi prime minister’s media office read.

For his part, the Iraqi PM extended his congratulations to Barzani on his election as new KRG prime minister, and the formation of a new government, the statement added.

Abdul Mahdi also “welcomed the atmosphere of collaboration with the KRG and the federal government to enhance integration and solve all the problems” according to the Iraqi Constitution.

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

Elsewhere, PM Barzani met with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Halbousi where the two discussed ways to find solutions to all the differences between the KRG and the Iraqi government, a statement on Halbousi’s press office read.

Halbousi “congratulated Barzani on the formation of a new [KRG] government, and stressed the importance of resolving all outstanding problems between the region and the federal government,” it continued.

According to the statement, Barzani underlined the Kurdistan Region’s “sincere intentions to work to clear all problems in the spirit of brotherhood and national belonging.”

Prime Minister Barzani spoke to reporters following his meeting with Halbousi and highlighted that all the sessions on Tuesday with senior Iraqi officials were positive.

“All our meetings today were based on mutual understanding of the issues at hand between Erbil and Baghdad,” the prime minister said. “We addressed our differences, and hope technical efforts will be initiated soon to address them.”

Halbousi, meanwhile, told reporters the meetings were good and that he is confident in PM Barzani’s ability to lead the autonomous Kurdish government.

This was the new KRG cabinet’s first visit to Baghdad since its formation on June 10.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany