Prime Minister Masrour Barzani welcomed Ms. Alina L. Romanowski, the United States Ambassador to Iraq, in Erbil on September 11.
Their discussions focused on the constitutional rights and financial entitlements of the Kurdistan Region as outlined in the federal budget law. Prime Minister Barzani expressed his apprehension about certain groups in Iraq that seem inclined to treat the Kurdistan Region outside the bounds of the budget law. He emphasized that the KRG has transparently presented all necessary data and substantiated it with legal and constitutional proofs to the Iraqi officials. Hence, he firmly believes that the public sector employees of the Kurdistan Region should receive their salaries equivalently to the rest of Iraq, ensuring their rights remain intact.
The two sides stressed the importance of addressing these matters through constructive dialogue, strictly adhering to the constitution.
Furthermore, their dialogue touched upon recent developments in Kirkuk. Both parties underscored the need for normalizing the city’s state of affairs, the return of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s offices, and ensuring Kirkuk’s continued peace and stability.
The US Ambassador also met with President Nechirvan Barzani on the same day.
The US relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the efforts to resolve the outstanding problems between Erbil and Baghdad- especially the issues of budget and salaries of the Kurdistan Region employees and the situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region were highlighted during their meeting.
Both sides stressed the importance of a constructive dialogue between the Iraqi Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to reach a common understanding aimed at resolving their differences in a way that ensures the constitutional rights of all sides, and maintains peace and political stability in the country.
President Nechirvan Barzani stressed the importance of implementing the federal system in Iraq as enshrined in the constitution, and pointed out that the Kurdistan Region must be treated as a federal region, and that the continuing disagreements between the Iraqi Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government do not serve the interests of the country.
Both sides agreed on the importance of resolving the issues and providing the financial entitlements of the Kurdistan Region in accordance with the laws and agreements. They also stressed the solidarity and unity among the political parties in the Kurdistan Region, especially between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
The opportunities for foreign and domestic investments, strengthening the private sector in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the situation of the Yezidis and the importance of implementing the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq on the status of Sinjar, were also highlighted at the meeting.
original article Prime Minister
original article President