President Barzani, Top U.S. Diplomat Tackle Key Issues of Oil Exports, KRG's Financial Entitlements
President Barzani and the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires discussed resuming oil exports, securing KRG financial rights, and supporting U.S. oil companies. They agreed on the need to depoliticize public salaries and also covered Peshmerga reform and upcoming elections.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a high-level diplomatic meeting addressing a range of pressing economic and political issues, President Masoud Barzani on Wednesday received the Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, Ambassador Steven Fagin, reaffirming the strategic partnership between the Kurdistan Region and the United States while focusing on critical unresolved matters with Baghdad. The discussions underscored a shared position on the necessity of resuming the Kurdistan Region's oil exports and ensuring that public sector salaries are shielded from political disputes.
The meeting, held in Pirmam and also attended by the U.S. Consul General in Erbil, Gwendolyn “Wendy” Green, provided a platform for a comprehensive exchange of views on the latest regional developments.
Central to the conversation were the complex relations between Erbil and Baghdad, particularly the intertwined challenges concerning the resumption of oil exports and the settlement of the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements.
A significant point of convergence during the talks was the reaffirmation of support for American oil companies that have operated in the Kurdistan Region.
Both sides highlighted the legitimacy of the agreements these companies have signed with the Kurdistan Regional Government, emphasizing that they were conducted in accordance with the law and the constitution.
This consensus addresses a key point of contention in the ongoing energy disputes and reinforces the legal framework underpinning the Region’s oil sector.
Furthermore, the discussion delved deeply into the critical issue of public sector salaries and the Region’s financial dues.
President Barzani and Ambassador Fagin were in agreement that it is imperative to resolve this matter definitively. They stressed that the salaries of citizens should not be used as a tool in political conflicts, reflecting a shared principle that the livelihoods of public servants must be protected from the ongoing disputes between the regional and federal governments.
Beyond the immediate economic challenges, the meeting also served to reinforce the robust bilateral ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United States.
The dialogue emphasized the importance of strengthening this enduring relationship, which spans security, economic, and political spheres. In this context, discussions also covered the progress of reform steps within the Ministry of Peshmerga, a crucial area of ongoing cooperation aimed at unifying and professionalizing the Kurdish armed forces.
The broader regional and domestic political landscape was also a key focus of the agenda. The two sides exchanged perspectives on the situation in Syria, a neighboring country whose stability has direct implications for the security of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
Looking ahead, the upcoming elections for the Iraqi Council of Representatives were discussed, along with the continuation of positive steps regarding the formation of the new cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government, signaling a mutual interest in supporting stable and effective governance at both the regional and federal levels.
