Kurdish Prime Minister heads to Baghdad at the head of a government delegation

The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masrour Barzani, left Erbil International Airport heading to Baghdad on Saturday at the head of a government delegation.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will meet with the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in addition to several senior officials in Baghdad.

The visit aims to focus on the constitutional solution to the outstanding problems between the Kurdistan Region and the Federal Government, the foremost of which is the oil and gas file.

In February 2022, Iraq's federal Court deemed the Kurdistan Region's oil and gas law regulating the oil industry unconstitutional and demanded that Kurdish authorities hand over their crude supplies.

The ruling declared KRG oil contracts with oil companies, foreign parties, and states invalid. This includes exploration, extraction, export, and sale agreements.

Erbil, which controls Iraq's only northern pipelines, has been developing oil and gas resources independently of the federal government. The KRG passed its oil and gas law in 2007, allowing it to manage and develop its oil and gas resources.

Baghdad says its national oil company, SOMO, is the only authorized body to sell Iraqi crude oil.



PUKmedia