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Iraq's Kurdistan Region Primer Minister
ends trip to Baghdad
5.12.2006 |
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Erbil, December 5,
(eKurd.net) ,-- Iraq’s Kurdistan region Primer
Minster Nechirvan Barzani was back on
Tuesday to Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region after a seven-day visit to Baghdad,
an official source said.
"Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region Nechirvan
Barzani arrived today shortly before noon in Erbil,
after a seven-day visit to Baghdad,” the source
said.
During the visit, Mr. Barzani discussed with senior
officials in Baghdad issues on the relation between
the
central and Kurdistan governments, the source added.
"Mr. Barzani is expected to give a news conference
within the next few days to make public the outcome
of his visit to Baghdad,” the source who asked not
to be named said.
PM Barzani said earlier that there were still oil
related issues open to further discussions between
the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad. |
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister
Nechirvan Barzani |
"We do have some disagreements with Baghdad,
including the oil revenues of which 17% should be
earmarked for the KRG. This has not been implemented
so far. We have not reached a final agreement but
talks continue," Barzani told reporters following a
meeting with Iraq's Vice President Adil Abdul Mahdi
in Baghdad Sunday.
Kurds, who have been at odds with Baghdad over their
own oil deals, have in the past accused the central
government of not paying the Kurds in accordance to
the shifting oil prices in the world markets. Oil
prices have changed dramatically over the year, and
Kurds say their share of the federal budget should
be lifted accordingly.
The implementation of Article 140, regarding the
disputed city of Kirkuk, which Kurds see as part of
their region, and their share of the national
electricity supply were also at the top of the
agenda.
Ahead of his trip to Baghdad, PM Barzani issued a
statement criticizing the progress of the committee
formed to implement Article 140 of the constitution
pertaining to the families expelled from their homes
in Kirkuk and other disputed territories under the
Saddam era. In the statement Barzani noted that,
"The panel that has been formed for the execution of
Article 140 of the permanent Iraqi constitution is
not progressing appropriately. We expect it to move
faster and in a more orderly fashion."
Parliamentarian Mahmoud Othman, of the Kurdistan
Coalition, said the meeting by the Kurdistan Primer
Nechirvan Barzani with the Iraqi Prime Minister
Nouri al-Maliki did not settle the lingering issues
with the central government.
“There were problems in Iraq 2006 budget concerning
the allocations to Kurdistan region but the meeting
failed to correct these problems for Iraq 2007
budget,” Mr. Othman said.
Barzani’s government sought to settle the problems
arouse in Iraq’s 2006 budget by avoiding a
repetition of them in 2007 budget.
As for oil investment in Kurdistan, legislator
Othman said “Barzani’s meeting with Maliki also did
not resolve the issue of getting oil investments in
Kurdistan region away from the Baghdad’s oil
ministry.”
Kurdistan government seeks a permit to conclude oil
investment contracts in Kurdistan region away from
Baghdad’s oil ministry, a move highly rejected by
the central government as it says “the Iraqi wealth
is the property of all the people of Iraq and it
should be managed only by the central government.”
Lawmaker Mahmoud Othman added “The constitution
article 140 on Kirkuk status also encounters many
stumbling blocks in its way of implementation,” Mr.
Othman added.
Kurds say Kirkuk city, which also has Turkmens and
Arabs, must be a part of their region, which
currently covers three provinces in the north.
Article 140 of the constitution is meant to
normalize the situation in Kirkuk in wait for
upcoming referendum on the future of the city, which
sits atop 6 percent of the world's known oil
reserves.
Kurdistan Prime Minister arrived early last week in
Baghdad and met with the Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other
senior officials to handle issues related to the
region budget, Kirkuk status, and oil investments in
Kurdistan region.
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