Russia continues to have dialogue with Erbil and Baghdad: Russian FM Spox
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Russia continues to have extensive contacts with both Baghdad and Erbil, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, told Kurdistan 24.
"We have extensive contacts with Erbil and Baghdad, and we are constantly having political talks at different levels," Zakharova told Khoshawi Muhammad, Kurdistan 24's correspondent in Moscow, on Friday.
"Our embassies and consulates in Baghdad and Erbil are active, and our relations are at a participatory level, and we will further develop our relations," she said.
She added that there are "different conditions and difficulties in the region, but there are always difficulties in life, so we try to solve all the problems in a constructive way."
In February, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruled that the Kurdish oil and gas dossier is "unconstitutional". The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil has rejected this ruling as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
Nevertheless, the KRG said it continues to be open to dialogue with Baghdad to solve the outstanding issues between them.
Erbil and Baghdad also previously had disputes over the Kurdistan Region's federal budget share, compensation for Kurdish victims of past genocides, the status of the disputed territories, and salaries for the Kurdish Peshmerga.
During a speech he delivered in Erbil to mark Russian Victory Day on May 9, Russian Consul General to Erbil Oleg Levin underlined that Russia is "keen on constructively developing ties for the interest of Russia, the Kurdistan Region, and our nations."
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The Kurdistan Region and Russia enjoy close economic ties, particularly in the energy sector.
Levin also noted that the major Russian oil and gas companies Gazprom and Rosneft operate in the Kurdistan Region.
Russian Victory Day is marked each year on May 9. It commemorates the former Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
Additional reporting by Khoshawi Muhammad