KRG delegation to visit Baghdad amid stalemate between regional, federal government: PM Office

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation will visit Baghdad on June 23 to discuss the outstanding issues between the federal and regional governments, the prime minister’s office announced on Monday.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a meeting on Monday, held via videoconference, in which it was decided that a high-level delegation would visit Baghdad to initiate dialogue on resolving all the current outstanding issues with the Iraqi government on a constitutional basis.

In the meeting that was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and several other KRG ministers, Prime Minister Barzani “reiterated” that the KRG is willing to resolve the outstanding issues “fundamentally” with the Federal Government of Iraq.

The KRG is willing to honor its commitments, Barzani reiterated, as the federal government has to provide “our rights and constitutional entitlements” in order to reach a “comprehensive” agreement in which it is in the interest of both sides, the meeting’s statement read.

“Resolving the pending issues are in the interest of all the Iraqi people,” Barzani said as “it is an important factor for ensuring stability in the region.”

The meeting came following Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani’s visit to Baghdad on Saturday to discuss Erbil-Baghdad ties.

President Barzani held a series of meetings with several top Iraqi officials including Iraqi PM Kadhimi, President Barham Salih, and Parliament Speaker Mohammed Halbousi.

“It is time we come to a mutual understanding through an inclusive agreement which is accepted by both sides, and ensures stability, peace, and justice,” President Barzani said during his visit to Baghdad, according to the Kurdistan Region Presidency Office.

Erbil-Baghdad relations have always been fraught with disputes, nearing a total breakdown after the Kurdistan Region's 2017 independence referendum, followed by Iraqi forces and Iran-backed militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) attacking disputed areas such as Kirkuk to push Kurdish Peshmerga forces from them.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

CORRECTION: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that PM Masrour Barzani would visit Baghdad.