Kurdish PM Barzani, US Envoy push for swift resumption of KRI oil exports
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, KurdistanRegion (KRI) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani welcomed a US delegation led byVictoria Taylor, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran in the Bureau ofNear Eastern Affairs.
The meeting addressed ways tostrengthen bilateral relations, efforts to form the new Kurdistan RegionalGovernment (KRG) cabinet, and the latest developments in Iraq and the region,according to a statement from the KRG.
Both sides discussed the overallsituation in Syria, emphasizing “the need to maintain its security andstability while ensuring the rights of the Kurdish people and all itscomponents.”
Regarding oil, they agreed on theimportance of “resuming the export of Kurdistan’s oil as soon as possible, inthe interest of all parties,” particularly given that the halt in exports hascaused significant damage to the federal budget.
Barzani and Taylor also underscoredthe need to secure the KRI's rights and financial entitlements, with the PrimeMinister stressing that "the Region has met all its obligations under thefederal budget, and Baghdad must fulfill its duty to deliver the KRI’sentitlements as a federal and constitutional entity."
For her part, Taylor reaffirmed theimportance of the Kurdistan Region's status and its role as a "partner"to the United States.
