Abadi's office denies claims Baghdad agreed to assist Kurds financially, politically

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's media office on Sunday denied claims made by a Kurdish official that Baghdad would guarantee financial and political concessions if they postponed the Sep. 25 referendum.

Mala Bakhtiar, the executive secretary of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) politburo, told Reuters the Federal Government of Iraq was prepared to assist Kurds financially and politically for them to delay the vote.

President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, however, in a recent interview with Saudi-based newspaper Okaz was unequivocal about the referendum's date.

A Kurdistan Region delegation is currently in Baghdad discussing the upcoming vote with Iraqi leaders.

In an official statement, the Prime Minister's press office denied the claims made by Bakhtiar in the interview with Reuters.

The statement said the aforementioned report contained “false information…far from reality and not addressed at all in the talks [with] the Kurdish delegation.”

The statement also claimed Bakhtiar “was not originally within the Kurdish delegation” discussing the referendum with officials in Baghdad.

“We stress the importance of accurately investigating information being given,” the statement added, stating the news agency did not seek to corroborate the claims with Iraqi officials nor other members of the delegation.

According to Bakhtiar, Baghdad was prepared to offer Kurds something in return if they agreed to reschedule the independence referendum, specifically financial and political assurances.

“The federal government should assist the Kurds in overcoming a financial crisis as well as settling debts owed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG),” the PUK official allegedly told Reuters.

In 2014, the Iraqi government cut Kurdistan’s 17 percent budget share after Kurds began exporting oil independently through a pipeline to Turkey.

The global drop in oil prices, the fight against the Islamic State (IS), and the wave of displaced people have created a difficult financial burden for the KRG.

At the political level, Bakhtiar said Baghdad should settle the issues of disputed territories including the oil-rich province of Kirkuk.

Abadi just announced the start of the Tal Afar offensive to retake the militant group's remaining stronghold in northern Iraq.

Baghdad and the neighboring countries of Turkey and Iran, as well as the US' State Department, have previously criticized the timing of the referendum, with the latter suggesting the vote might interfere with the fight against IS. 

Editing by G.H. Renaud