Erbil, Baghdad to Meet on Hydrocarbons Law
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government of Iraq are due to meet in Baghdad on Wednesday in a further push to draft critical details of a hydrocarbons law, which will determine the rights and responsibilities of both as regards their handling of natural resources in the country.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani in a major news conference yesterday announced the meeting, where the KRG's Ministry of Natural Resources and Iraq's Ministry of Oil are expected to negotiate the gist of a long overdue hydrocarbons law already in the making.
Legal experts and representatives of several political parties will also take part in the meeting.
During the news conference, the Iraqi leader also announced the disbursement of a "portion" of Kurdistan Region's share from the federal budget to Erbil yesterday evening. He stressed that the KRG and the federal government of Iraq are "responsibly adhering to the political agreement, ensuring compliance with the three-year federal budget law while respecting constitutional and legal frameworks."
The prime minister affirmed his cabinet's commitment to resolving remaining issues between Erbil and Baghdad: "The commitment to implementing the agreement with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is shared by all parties involved, and the government is determined to resolve these issues without burdening the citizens with any unnecessary hardships."
