KRG urges diplomats to address Baghdad's financial entitlements delay
Shafaq News / On Thursday, senior officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) revealed that a high-level delegation has briefed foreign diplomatic missions on the Iraqi federal government’s failure to remit financial entitlements owed to the Region.
At a joint press conference, Safeen Dizayee, Head of the KRG's Department of Foreign Relations, and Peshawa Hawramani, government spokesperson, shared the outcomes of a meeting with representatives from 20 diplomatic missions. The discussions centered on ongoing disputes and unresolved issues between Erbil and Baghdad.
Dizayee stated, “The meeting addressed accusations claiming the Kurdistan Region failed to honor agreements with Baghdad. These allegations are inaccurate.” He emphasized that KRG ministers provided detailed explanations to the diplomatic representatives, reiterating the Region’s consistent willingness to engage in dialogue and expressing regret over Baghdad’s non-compliance with signed agreements.
He further highlighted the politicization of salary payments, stating, “The issue of salaries has been exploited as leverage against recipients in the Region, despite the Iraqi judiciary’s position against such politicization.”
“We look forward to addressing these issues so that 2025 does not echo the financial challenges of 2023 and 2024. Salary recipients in the Kurdistan Region are Iraqi citizens, and the federal government has a responsibility to fulfill its obligations toward them.”
The briefing follows President Nechirvan Barzani’s participation in a recent State Administration Coalition (SAC) meeting in Baghdad. The meeting underscored that “salary issues for Kurdistan Region employees are technical rather than political matters,” calling for “resolution through dialogue and mutual understanding.”
For His Part, spokesperson Hawramani elaborated on the meeting with diplomats, stating that discussions covered financial disputes, the Region’s oil export issues, and the latest agreements signed between Erbil and Baghdad. “Despite three ministers signing the agreement, it remains unimplemented. There is no justification for depriving the Region’s citizens of their right to a decent life,” Hawramani emphasized.
Hawramani also pointed to the suspension of the Region’s oil exports to Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, which has resulted in an estimated $25 billion in financial losses. He reaffirmed the Region’s readiness to resume crude oil exports through the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) to alleviate the economic strain.
“Kurdistan seeks to serve as a stabilizing force in a region marked by ongoing conflicts,” he said, emphasizing the importance of resolving disputes with Baghdad to preserve peaceful coexistence and political stability in Iraq.
