Iraq’s speaker calls for a deal between Erbil, Baghdad until oil and gas law finalized
Al-Halboosi set out 10 points to be agreed upon by the parties during the meeting, saying the political process would not proceed without a consensus on the issues.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Al-Halboosi said on Sunday that Erbil and Baghdad should reach an agreement on the outstanding issues between the two governments until the country issues its own oil and gas law.
The remarks came during a statement the official released prior to the upcoming “national dialogue” meeting between the country’s political parties, discussing a way out of the current political crisis.
Al-Halboosi set out 10 points to be agreed upon by the parties during the meeting, saying the political process would not proceed without a consensus on resolving the issues.
The ties between Erbil and Baghdad should be organized through an “announced agreement” until an Iraqi oil and gas law is issued, the speaker said.
The administration of the energy dossier is one of the ligering issues between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its Iraqi counterpart.
Baghdad has not yet been able to issue its own oil and gas law due to political differences. Kurdistan Region approved a hydrocarbon law in 2007, based on which Erbil governs the sector.
Iraqi Federal Supreme Court (FSC) in February said the Kurdish energy law is “unconstitutional”, a charge Kurdish authorities have strongly opposed and described as “politically motivated”.
In addition to reiterating its “constitutional rights”, Kurdistan Region is willing to negotiate a settlement on the outstanding energy issues with Baghdad, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has insisted on several occasions.
In his statement, Al-Halboosi also called for setting a date for the country’s early parliamentary and provincial council elections by no later than the end of next year.
Iraq witnessed deadly unrest last week after months of political gridlock following the October 2021 elections. At least 30 people were killed in the street clashes between political rivals that had launched numerous futile attempts to form a government on their own terms.
