Latest news with #BafelTalabani
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
KRG approves ‘understanding' with Baghdad on budget issues
Also in Kurdistan Top Foxtrot member arrested in Erbil: Swedish media President Barzani, Estonian defense minister discuss defense ties, regional developments KRG cabinet to address financial crisis amid new round of meetings with Baghdad KRG ministry condemns drone strikes on Duhok oil fields as operations halt A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on Wednesday that it has reached a new "understanding" with Baghdad aimed at resolving the ongoing budget dispute that has left more than 1.2 million public employees in the Kurdistan Region without salaries for over two months. In an official statement, the KRG said it had "approved a new understanding" with the federal government regarding the disbursement of salaries and financial entitlements. The night before, a fresh round of high-level meetings kicked off between Kurdish officials from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with top Iraqi leaders in Baghdad. Rudaw learned that PUK leader Bafel Talabani and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein - a senior KDP figure - met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Tuesday. Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zidan also attended the meeting. A source familiar with the matter said a member of the KDP politburo is also expected to join the talks, and that further meetings are planned for Wednesday with several political leaders, including from Iraq's ruling Shiite-led Coordination Framework. During the KRG's regular cabinet session on Wednesday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and his Deputy Qubad Talabani 'presented details of the mutual understanding that emerged yesterday [Tuesday] with Baghdad, regarding the provision of the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements and its [corresponding] obligations.' According to the KRG statement, the cabinet 'welcomed' the understanding and 'decided to implement the crux' of it, to prompt the federal government to facilitate 'the transfer of salaries and financial dues from the federal government.' Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May when Iraq's federal finance ministry suspended budget transfers to the KRG. The ministry accused Erbil of receiving more than its 12.67 percent share of the federal budget and failing to deliver the agreed-upon volume of oil to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). The suspension led to a halt in salary payments to public sector employees. On a different note, Wednesday marked the third consecutive day of drone attacks targeting oil infrastructure in the Region. The KRG cabinet strongly condemned the "terrorist attacks on the Kurdistan Region, especially the oil fields, which have caused significant material damage to the oil production process and are aimed at striking the Kurdistan Region's economic and energy infrastructure." The KRG called on Baghdad to take responsibility by "putting an end to these attacks and taking legal action against the saboteurs." Drone strikes in the Kurdistan Region have increased since the outbreak of a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran that began on June 13 and ended with a US-brokered ceasefire. While no group has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks, the Kurdistan Region's interior ministry in early July accused the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) of involvement - an allegation Baghdad has dismissed as 'unacceptable.'
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
KRG cabinet to address financial crisis amid new round of meetings with Baghdad
Also in Kurdistan KRG ministry condemns drone strikes on Duhok oil fields as operations halt Kurdistan oil fields targeted for third day in a row in drone attacks Archaeologists unearth over 6,000-year-old settlement near Erbil KRG minister slams Baghdad for failing to uphold constitutional obligations A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Council of Ministers is set to meet on Wednesday to address the ongoing financial dispute with Baghdad, the prolonged delay in public sector salary payments, and efforts to resume Kurdish oil exports. According to an official statement posted on the KRG's Facebook page, the meeting will be chaired by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and will focus on 'the financial situation of the Kurdistan Region, the course of negotiations and dialogue with the federal government [in Baghdad], and developments related to salaries and oil exports.' Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May after Iraq's federal finance ministry suspended budget transfers to the KRG. The ministry accused the KRG of exceeding its 12.67 percent share of the federal budget and failing to deliver the agreed-upon volume of oil to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). The decision effectively halted salary disbursements for over 1.2 million public employees in the Kurdistan Region. Wednesday's cabinet meeting comes just one day after senior Kurdish officials from the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) began a new round of meetings with top Iraqi leaders in Baghdad. Rudaw learned that PUK leader Bafel Talabani and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein - a senior KDP figure - met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Tuesday. Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zidan also attended the meeting. A source familiar with the matter said a member of the KDP politburo is also expected to join the talks. Further meetings are also planned for Wednesday with several political leaders, including from Iraq's ruling Shiite-led Coordination Framework. These intensified efforts follow a high-level Kurdish meeting held Monday in Erbil's Pirmam district, aimed at forming a 'unified stance' on the disputes with Baghdad. A joint statement following the meeting said it was chaired by preeminent Kurdish leader and KDP head Masoud Barzani, with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and PUK leader Talabani also in attendance. The Kurdish parties pledged to adopt a unified strategy to 'intensify efforts' and 'ensure the provision of salaries and entitlements for the Kurdistan Region,' emphasizing that all steps would be taken within the constitutional framework. The latest developments also follow a special session by the KRG cabinet on Sunday, to address the worsening financial crisis as well. A day prior, the KDP had issued a strong warning, saying it would give Baghdad a 'final chance' to resolve the ongoing budget dispute.
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqi PM meets PUK Head: Salary and oil top agenda
Shafaq News – Baghdad/Erbil Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met, on Tuesday, with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Head Bafel Talabani to address stalled negotiations between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region. According to the PM's Media Office, discussions centered on the transfer of oil and non-oil revenues from the Region to the federal treasury and resolving the ongoing salary crisis —affecting over 1.5 million civil servants—with both parties reaffirming their commitment to constitutional procedures and the relevant Federal Supreme Court rulings. The meeting also addressed preparations for Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 11. Earlier today, a source told Shafaq News that Talabani arrived in Baghdad at the head of a senior PUK delegation seeking to revive dialogue. The source confirmed that Baghdad has tentatively agreed to disburse May 2025 salaries—one of two months still outstanding. This is the second senior Kurdish visit to Baghdad in two weeks, following a July 7 mission by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials. Analysts warn that the unresolved salary dispute has intensified doubts about the durability of Iraq's federal framework in the lead-up to the elections.
Rudaw Net
5 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Senior KDP, PUK figures to meet Iraqi PM amid financial crisis
Also in Iraq Iraq's three presidencies condemn 'drone attacks' on Kurdistan oil fields Kurdistan Region presidency condemns drone strikes on oil fields, urges Baghdad to act Iraq signs oil deal with US firm Water crisis in Iraq, Kurdistan Region to halve supply per person by 2035: Rudaw Research Center A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a bid to resolve the ongoing financial crisis between Erbil and Baghdad, Rudaw has learned that Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein - a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) figure - are set to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Tuesday, with Supreme Judicial Council head Faiq Zidan also attending. A well-placed source told Rudaw that a member of the KDP politburo is also expected to attend. The Kurdish officials are scheduled to hold further meetings with several senior Iraqi political leaders on Wednesday morning, the source added. Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May after the Iraqi federal finance ministry suspended budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), accusing it of exceeding its 12.67 percent share of the federal budget and failing to deliver the agreed oil quota to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). The suspension has left over 1.2 million public servants in the Kurdistan Region without salaries for more than two months. Crucially, the Baghdad meetings come just a day after senior delegations from the Kurdistan Region's ruling parties met in Erbil's Pirmam district to form a 'unified stance' on the financial dispute. A joint statement following the meeting said it was chaired by preeminent Kurdish leader and KDP head Masoud Barzani, with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and PUK leader Talabani also in attendance. The Kurdish parties pledged to adopt a unified strategy to 'intensify efforts' and 'ensure the provision of salaries and entitlements for the Kurdistan Region,' emphasizing that all steps would be taken within the constitutional framework. The high-level meeting notably followed a special session of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers held Sunday to address the worsening financial crisis. A day prior, the KDP had issued a warning, saying it would give Baghdad a 'final chance' to resolve the ongoing budget dispute.
Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
KDP, PUK present united stance to Baghdad
Shafaq News – Erbil On Monday, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) reaffirmed their political alliance and the need for unified Kurdish action to resolve critical issues with the Iraqi government. The declaration followed a high-level meeting led by KDP Leader Masoud Barzani and PUK President Bafel Talabani, where both parties expressed commitment to confronting the region's mounting challenges. According to a joint statement, the meeting aimed to coordinate positions on key issues, including oil revenues, public finances, and political representation, stressing the importance of forming a united front to engage constructively with Baghdad on constitutional rights and equitable resource distribution. The KDP and PUK also pledged to submit a joint proposal to the Iraqi government, reiterating their readiness to collaborate with Baghdad based on partnership and mutual respect. A report from a ministerial committee is set to be presented to the Iraqi government on July 15, aiming to resolve long-standing disputes. This report could determine whether Kurdistan's civil servants receive their wages and if the Region's oil output will be fully managed by SOMO, Iraq's state oil marketing company, in line with federal mandates.
