Iraqi delegation visits Erbil to discuss return of IDPs, elections

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A delegation from the Federal Government of Iraq is expected to visit the Kurdistan Region soon to discuss the return of displaced persons and the upcoming elections, a source from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday.

Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Mahdi al-Alaq and Senior Deputy Minister of Interior Aqeel Mahmoud Khazali will lead the delegation, the source added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The delegation is expected to discuss the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their areas and the elections, but may not address the long-standing and recent disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, the source said.

The trip will mark the first time Iraqi officials have visited the Kurdistan Region since the Sep. 25 independence referendum.

Ties between the KRG and the Iraqi government have considerably deteriorated following the referendum which won an overwhelming response for statehood.

Despite the vote for secession, Baghdad refused to recognize the results and instead responded by imposing collective punitive measures against Kurdistan, including an international flight ban on the Region, and the use of military force in disputed areas.

The KRG has shown its flexibility, offering to freeze the results of the referendum, but Baghdad demands a full annulment instead.

The Kurdistan Region hosts over 1.5 million refugees and IDPs who fled the threat of the Islamic State (IS) from Syria and Iraq.

Iraq is preparing to hold provincial and parliamentary elections in May 2018, while the return of displaced people to different provinces of the country remains a major challenge due to the lack of public infrastructure and basic services in the liberated areas.

So far, the Kurdistan Region has not decided if it will participate in the upcoming elections.

The international community has repeatedly called on both Erbil and Baghdad to resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue, but such negotiations are yet to start.

There are deep-rooted issues between both sides, especially those related to energy, budget, and disputed territories.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany