PM Barzani, US top diplomat support resuming Kurdish oil exports ‘as soon as possible’
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Barbara A. Leaf agreed that the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports should resume as soon as possible, according to a statement.
PM Barzani received the US top official along with an accompanying delegation, including US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski and Consul General in Erbil, Irvin Hicks Jr.
The latest political developments in Iraq, as well as the “friendly relations” between Erbil and Bagdad, were highlighted in the meeting, the press release added.
Both sides agreed that the April 4 deal between Erbil and Baghdad to resume the export of Kurdish oil should be implemented as soon as possible, to limit the damage endured by the Kurdish and Iraqi people.
I’m pleased to catch up with US A/S Barbara Leaf in Erbil today.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) May 3, 2023
We agreed on the need to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. We also discussed ways to accelerate Peshmerga reforms.
Elections must happen later this year. The KRG stands ready to support. pic.twitter.com/T5YjPSktF3
Following Baghdad’s claim of victory in an arbitration case against Turkey in March, Ankara has halted oil exports from Iraq for over a month, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars every day.
Regarding the Kurdistan Region’s elections, PM Barzani reiterated his government’s readiness to support facilitating holding elections on time, scheduled for November 18 this year.
PM Barzani and Leaf also discussed the ongoing reform program of the Ministry of Peshmerga as well as the importance of implementing the Sinjar Agreement, the return of IDPs, and the removal of outlawed and militia groups from the Yezidi-majority town.
The US official arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday and has since met with the country’s top officials.
Ms. Leaf also separately met with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil.
In addition to the latest political developments in Iraq and the region, KDP’s Barzani and the US official stressed the importance of implementing the agreements struck between the political parties to form the new government, a statement from Barzani Headquarters read, adding they consider the current Iraqi government’s actions as “positive” first steps.
The Kurdistan Region’s president and the US official reiterated commitments to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Peshmerga and the US Department of Defense last year to unify regional troops as part of a comprehensive reform program, according to a press release from the president’s office.
Enhancing Erbil-Washington relations, particularly in the economic and investment sectors, the fight against ISIS, and maintaining Kurdish unity were also discussed.