Council of Ministers discusses Kurdistan’s share of budget, oil and gas law

The Prime Minister:

We are ready for all kinds of coordination and cooperating with the federal government to resolve our issues. If they remain unresolved, they will harm the interests of all Iraqi citizens.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday chaired the Council of Ministers meeting.

In the first part of the gathering, the Prime Minister briefed the audience on the achievements of KRG delegation’s meetings with Emiratis leaders and top foreign officials during the 2023 World Countries Summit in Dubai, as well as their visit with the France President Emanual Macron and other French high officials.

The Prime Minister and members of the delegation mentioned that they had been received in both countries with respect and dignity, which reflects the diplomatic status of Kurdistan in the international community.

PM Barzani said that discussions were focused on the ways of boosting mutual relations with the two countries, and latest developments in Iraq and Kurdistan.

In the second part of Wednesday’s meeting, Minister of Finance and Economy, Awat Janab Noori, highlighted the KRG delegation’s attainments in its visit to Baghdad on February 19 and their negotiation with the Iraqi delegation on oil and gas law.

The Prime Minister extended his gratitude to the KRG delegation to Baghdad, emphasizing that the Kurdistan Region has been seeking to resolve issues with Baghdad through dialogue and negotiation, based on constitution.

“We are ready for all kinds of coordination and cooperating with the federal government to resolve our issues. If they remain unresolved, they will harm the interests of all Iraqi citizens,” The Prime Minister said, adding that the Kurdistan Region will not give up its constitutional rights and entitlements.

The council of Ministers decided to allow the two KRG delegations—one discussing budget law and the other negotiating oil and gas law— to revisit Baghdad tomorrow. They intend to resume talks on the final steps of deciding Kurdistan’s share of the federal budget and preparing oil and gas law.

In the last part of the meeting, Minister of Housing and Reconstruction, Dana Abdulkareem, presented the draft of “Public Roads of Kurdistan”. This draft aims at improving safety measures of the public roads and reorganizing rules and regulations.

After exchange of ideas and recommendations, it was decided to further improve the draft before rediscussing the matter and handing it over to the parliament.