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6ly410

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  1. Prime Minister Masrour Barzani receives Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2020/january/prime-minister-masrour-barzani-receives-prime-minister-of-iraq-adil-abdul-mahdi/ Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) - Prime Minister Masrour Barzani today received a high-level delegation headed by the Prime Minister of Iraq, Adil Abdul-Mahdi. During the meeting, which was also attended by KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, both sides highlighted the need to de-escalate tensions in the region and prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external conflicts. They agreed that Iraq should maintain a balanced relationship with all countries. Both sides emphasised the importance of developing a stronger and mutually beneficial relationship between Erbil and Baghdad. They agreed on the importance of resolving disputes through constructive dialogue, and reaffirmed their commitment to implement the agreements already reached between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government of Iraq, which will benefit all Iraqis. Prime Minister Barzani and Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi also discussed how to combat the growing threat posed by ISIS. They agreed to strengthen cooperation and coordination between Peshmerga forces and Iraqi Security Forces. Prime Minister Barzani stressed the importance of the Global Coalition's continued support, as its ongoing presence in Iraq will help to prevent ISIS' re-emergence. 11 Jan 2020
  2. Caretaker PM Abdul Mahdi meets with PUK officials in Sulaimani Caretaker Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul Mahdi was welcomed by officials in Sulaimani at the Sulaimani International Airport, January 11, 2020. 1 Hours Ago http://www.nrttv.com/En/News.aspx?id=19013&MapID=1 SULAIMANI — Caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi met with officials from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Sulaimani on Saturday (January 11). Abdul Mahdi arrived in Sulaimani on Saturday afternoon following meetings with officials in Erbil. NRT Digital Media reporters Karzan Tariq and Zhalla Mohammed said Abdul Mahdi was received by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Kurdistan Region Vice President Sheikh Jaafar and, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) members Imad Mohammed and Shalaw Kosrat at Sulaimani International Airport. The caretaker prime minister met with head of PUK's High Political Council Kosrat Rasul. They discussed the latest developments in Iraq and the relations between the Region and the federal government, according to the reporters. He visited Erbil earlier on Saturday and held talks with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. He also visited with Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani. They discussed the latest development in Iraq and the region as well as the US-Iran tensions and Baghdad-Erbil relations. This is Abdul Mahdi's first visit to the Kurdistan Region since his inauguration as prime minister, a position that he now occupies in a caretaker capacity after offering his resignation at the beginning of December. (NRT Digital Media) *This story was updated at 06:18 p.m. EBL time
  3. Iraqi PM Abdul-Mahdi visits Erbil to meet with senior Kurdish officials 4 hours ago Karwan Faidhi Dri Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani greets Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi as he steps off the plane at Erbil International Airport on January 11, 2020. Photo: Rudaw ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi arrived in Erbil Saturday morning where he was received at the airport by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. He is expected to visit Sulaimani as well. The trip comes amid a political crisis in Baghdad and heightened tensions between Iraqi allies – the United States and Iran. In their meeting, Barzani and Abdul-Mahdi stressed that “Iraq should not be turned into a field for regional and international conflicts,” according to a readout from the president’s office. “The importance of the continuation of international aid and support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the fight against terrorism, threats of terror resurgence, and ISIS terrorist activities in Iraq, especially areas located between Peshmerga and Iraqi forces, were also discussed in the meeting,” the statement added. Abdul-Mahdi also met with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Barzani’s cabinet. During their meeting, the Kurdish prime minister reiterated the call for coordination between Baghdad and Erbil, with the support of international coalition forces, to fight ISIS. Abdul-Mahdi said there is “a good opportunity” to resolve issues between the federal and regional governments with “determination and serious will,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government. The governments in Erbil and Baghdad do not agree on the status of foreign forces in Iraq. Iraqi lawmakers passed a non-binding resolution on Sunday, calling for the expulsion of foreign forces after the United States killed ten people in a drone strike in Baghdad airport on January 3, including Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy leader of Iraq’s Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), locally known as the Hashd al-Shaabi. The measure passed with Shiite support only after Kurds and some Sunnis boycotted the parliamentary session. The Kurdish leadership in Erbil argued that the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) is not over yet and Iraq still needs the help of American and coalition forces. Erbil has sought to stay neutral, maintaining contact with allies in both Washington and Tehran. Abdul-Mahdi resigned from his post in late 2019 following months of protests against the government, but he remains premier in a caretaker role as the Shiite blocs – which hold the most seats in the parliament – have failed to agree on a replacement that is also acceptable to the protesters. The prime minister is accompanied on his trip by cabinet members and military commanders. Updated at 3:21 pm
  4. CARETAKER PM ABDUL MAHDI IN ERBIL FOR WIDE-RANGING TALKS WITH KURDISTAN REGION OFFICIALS Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani greets Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi in Erbil on January 11, 2020. 3 Hours ago http://www.nrttv.com/En/News.aspx?id=19005&MapID=1 SULAIMANI — Caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil on Saturday (January 11). Accompanied by a delegation, Abdul Mahdi arrived in Erbil in the morning and was welcomed by Barzani at the Erbil International Airport. Abdul Mahdi and Barzani discussed the latest developments in Iraq, tensions between the US and Iran, and the protests in Baghdad and southern provinces, according to statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency. The pair also discussed Baghdad-Erbil relations and ways to solve their differences through dialogue, the statement read. “They stressed the importance of cooperation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army,” the statement said, adding that they agreed about the importance of reciving support from the international community for the fight against Islamic State (ISIS). The federal delegation included Finance Minister Fuad Hussein, Foreign Minister Muhammad Ali al-Hakim, Minister of Planning Nuri al-Dulaimi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Qusay al-Suhail, and head of the intelligence service Mustafa al-Kazemi. During his visit, Abdul Mahdi is met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani. At the end of the summer, Baghdad and Erbil were preparing for difficult negotiations over the 2020 budget, oil, the disputed areas, and the future of their relationship. In the interim, however, massive anti-government unrest and geopolitical tensions between regional rivals have set those concerns on the backburner, despite their importance. Abdul Mahdi is currently operating in a caretaker capacity, having had his resignation offer accepted by the Council of Representatives at the beginning of December. However, disagreements between President Barham Salih, protesters, and several Shia parties have meant that he has remained in office while a solution in hammered out. Days before Abdul Mahdi offered his resignation, Erbil and Baghdad reached an agreement to resolve the Kurdistan Region’s failure to transfer 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day to Baghdad. With the caretaker prime minister poised to remain in office for the foreseeable future, but dogged by questions about the authority of his government, it remains to be seen whether Erbil will remain committed to that agreement, having abrogated last year’s budget law. Also on the agenda were the events of the past week, which saw the US assassinate Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani last Friday, prompting the Council of Representatives to vote to call on the government to seek the exit of foreign troops from Iraq. Kurdish and Sunni parties boycotted the session. On Wednesday, Iran retaliated to the assassination by firing nearly two dozen ballistic missiles at bases in Anbar and Erbil hosting US and coalition troops. Officials in the Kurdistan Region called for dialogue and de-escalation, making it clear that they wanted coalition troops to remain in order to keep pressure on Islamic State and prevent it from reasserting itself. (NRT Digital Media) This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. EBL
  5. PM Barzani, Iraqi Counterpart Reiterate Commitment to Resolve Disputes Basnews English 11/01/2020 - 13:48 Published in Kurdistan http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/kurdistan/573460 ERBIL — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday received a high-level delegation from the Iraqi government led by acting Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi in Erbil. Barzani and Abdul Mahdi discussed the recent regional tensions, the bilateral ties between Erbil and Baghdad, and the persisting threat of the Islamic State (IS) during a lengthy meeting. Abdul Mahdi said during the meeting that a favorable framework has been set for the relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi governments, and that there is a chance now to address their disputes in a direction that it could serve the interests of the entire country, according to the official readout of the meeting published by the KRG. “Kurdistan Region Prime Minsiter reasserted that addressing the disputes between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government, and the implementation of their agreements, requires a serious decision and a firm commitment.” They also touched upon the recent increase in the tensions between Iran and the United States, noting that Iraq should be kept outside the regional and international conflicts, and it should play a balanced role in the region. On the Islamic State, PM Barzani said that the jihadist group remains a serious threat to the security and stability of Iraq, and that a close and continuous coordination between Iraq, Kurdistan Region, and international partners was needed to counter the threat.
  6. Kurdistan president welcomes Iraq's caretaker PM in Erbil Kurdistan 24 | 4 hours ago https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/ff4da1dd-63cc-4083-93aa-1bd209bf9c85 Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani accompanies Adil Abdul Mahdi as the Iraqi caretaker prime minister arrives in Erbil, Jan. 11, 2020. (Photo: Kurdistan 24) Iraq Erbil Baghdad Relations Erbil Baghdad A+AA- ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq’s caretaker prime minister, Adil Abdul Mahdi, arrived on Saturday in Erbil on his first official visit to the Kurdistan Region since he took office in late 2018. Just after landing, he was welcomed on the tarmac by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. Abdul Mahdi was accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation composed of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Fuad Hussein, Foreign Minister Muhammad Ali al-Hakim, Minister of Planning Nuri al-Dulaimi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Qusay al-Suhail, and the director of the National Iraqi Intelligence Service Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Also traveling with Abdul Mahdi are his advisor, Abdul-Hussnayin al-Hanin, and deputy commander of Iraq's Joint Operations Command, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yar Allah. Kurdistan 24 has learned from a source familiar with the visit's schedule that key topics for discussion between the two leaders will be, unsurprisingly, ongoing anti-government protests and regional tensions following the US assassination of prominent Iranian general Qasim Soleimani and an Iraqi militia commander in Baghdad. Later in the day, Abdul Mahdi is expected to meet with Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani. Other issues leading talks, as indicated by the ministers in the delegation, include lingering disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal Iraqi government, the KRG’s share of the national annual budget, oil and gas, security coordination in territories disputed by Baghdad and Erbil, and the nationwide census that is slated for later in 2020. Following a near-total breakdown of ties between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in late 2017, the governments have converged on a range of issues, especially after Abdul Mahdi came into office in late 2018, and have reached preliminary deals on some important issues such as oil. Talks slacked in October 2019 as Baghdad’s focus shifted to dealing with anti-government protests that are still ongoing. This unrest was compounded after a series of exchanges between American forces, the Iranian military, and Tehran’s proxy militias on Iraqi territory. Abdul Mahdi announced his resignation in late November due to mounting pressure from the demonstrations—which are wracked by violence as security forces and Iranian-backed militias have killed over 500 protesters and wounded over 20,000 others even as cases of assassinations and kidnappings of activists continue. Since then, he has been acting as the head of a caretaker government as disputes continue over a replacement to be tasked with forming a new cabinet. After the US killing of Soleimani, the national parliament voted on a resolution to expel all "foreign" forces from Iraqi territory. Notably, the only parties participating in the session were from camps opposed to the American presence in the country; Kurds and most Sunnis shunned it. Abdul Mahdi also attended the session and was deeply critical of the US operation in his remarks to the assembly. On Friday, Abdul Mahdi said he had asked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to send a delegation to Baghdad to lay a roadmap for an eventual withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Later that day, Pompeo affirmed that Washington seeks to stay in Iraq to continue to lead Coalition efforts against the so-called Islamic State. Terrorist activity attributed to the Islamic State grew in the past week as Coalition and Iraqi forces redirected their focus to deal with the immediate concern of a significant ratcheting-up of hostile rhetoric and military action between both Iran and its proxies and, on the other side, the United States.
  7. d 11 minutes ago Dinar support for daily transactions is required now LINK Friday 10 January 2020 Markets recorded in the past few days a relatively high exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar, as well as the high price of gold locally, at a time when specialists considered this rise within the normal rates and does not call for fear; because the conditions that Iraq has gone through previously proved that. On Friday, gold prices recorded 260 thousand dinars, while the exchange rate of the dollar reached 122 thousand Iraqi dinars against the hundred dollars, after it reached 124 thousand dinars per hundred dollars last week. General conditions The banking advisor, Dr. Issam Al-Mahawili, stated that "the high dollar exchange rate is influenced by circumstances, news and general conditions as (spongy boarding) and temporary and will return to its normal levels, but it will take one or two weeks at the most." Al-Mahawili added in an interview with Al-Sabah that this fluctuation in the price will continue for a period until the gap between supply and demand returns to its normal size. Calling for "not to acquire the dollar and deal." It is used in buying and selling and relying in the daily commercial dealings on the dinar, because this will reduce the demand for it, which increases the supply. " "Consequently, abundance will contribute Greatly reduced its exchange rate, " Stressing "the need to support the dinar in this economic phase that Iraq is going through, in order to alleviate those with low incomes and poor segments of society." Productive sectors The banking advisor stated that "activating the productive sectors would reduce the effects of the low exchange rate of the dinar against the dollar, as in the final outcome it reduces imports of goods that can be produced and manufactured locally and that cost large amounts of money that can be invested and invested in revitalizing those sectors." He stressed that "the central bank A discreet institution capable of handling Such an imbalance is that Iraq is a rich country And his revenues from oil exports did not stop from him despite the fluctuating price of a barrel globally, "stressing that prices will return to their normal rates after a period of time has passed." Previous experience In turn, economic researcher Firas Amer said that "such an imbalance in the exchange rate is a result of the conditions the country is going through," adding that "this reality has been experienced by Iraq previously after the stability of the dollar exchange rate during the years 2012 and 2013." He pointed out that "the high price of gold and the dollar in Iraq has to do with the threats and economic concerns that the country may be exposed to due to regional conditions and fears of the outbreak of conflicts in the region that may have repercussions on the country." He explained that "Iraq is an oil producing country And that the news I covered Various media outlets have created an unwarranted panic among Iraqis. " Pointing out that the market is now It is controlled by the central bank, except from some weak souls who take advantage of these conditions to raise prices, as there is a state of general confusion in the gold markets and exchange rates locally.
  8. Stressing "the need to support the dinar in this economic phase that Iraq is going through, in order to alleviate those with low incomes and poor segments of society."
  9. Iraqi PM to Visit Erbil on Saturday BasNews 10/01/2020 - 23:53 Published inKurdistan http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/kurdistan/573316 ERBIL - Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi will pay an official visit to the Kurdistan Region's capital Erbil on Saturday. According to Iraqi reports, Abdul Mahdi will lead a high-level delegation to discuss the current situation in the country with the top Kurdish officials. The two sides will also shed light on the relations between Erbil and Baghdad. The situation in Iraq has started to deteriorate since the beginning of the anti-government protests in early October, while tensions between the US and Iran have lately escalated.
  10. Washington rejects Baghdad’s request to plan US troop withdrawal 2 minutes ago Rudaw https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/100120202 A US soldier guards the US Embassy in Baghdad. Photo: AFP ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The US State Department released a statement on Friday bluntly refusing requests from the Iraqi Parliament and Prime Minister to withdraw troops from the country. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus stated that delegations from Washington to Baghdad would not discuss troop withdrawal with Iraqi officials. “At this time, any delegation sent to Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership—not to discuss troop withdrawal, but our right, appropriate force posture in the Middle East,” stated Ortagus. She added that a NATO delegation has visited the US to discuss “increasing NATO’s role in Iraq, in line with the President’s desire for burden sharing in all of our collective defense efforts.” US President Trump stated in a press conference on Wednesday that NATO needed to become more involved in the Middle East. He also spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the phone on Wednesday, who “agreed that NATO could contribute more to regional stability and the fight against international terrorism.” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Adil Abdul-Mahdi, the current prime minister of Iraq’s caretaker government, on Thursday. The PM told Pompeo to send a delegation to Baghdad to put in place mechanisms for withdrawal of US forces following a non-binding parliamentary resolution by Shiite lawmakers on Sunday to expel foreign troops. “His Excellency asked the US Secretary of State to send delegates to Iraq to put in place mechanisms to implement the parliament’s decision for troops to safely depart Iraq,” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s media office about the Thursday phone call. Pompeo’s office also issued a readout of their phone call, but there was no mention of Abdul-Mahdi’s demand for a plan of action to see US troops depart Iraq. “Secretary Pompeo reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the Iranian regime’s January 7 launch of ballistic missiles into two sites in Iraq that host Iraqi, American, and Coalition forces working together to defeat ISIS. The Secretary underscored that, as President Trump has said, the United States will do whatever it takes to protect the American and Iraqi people and defend our collective interests,” read the American statement. On January 3, the US assassinated General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq’s Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias. The drone strike assassination outside the Baghdad airport was the culmination of steadily rising tension between the US and Iran-backed forces in Iraq. In response to the killings of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, slightly more than half of the Iraqi parliament convened on Sunday to vote in favor of a non-binding resolution calling on Abdul-Mahdi to remove all foreign troops from Iraq and revoke Iraq’s request for assistance from the international coalition fighting Islamic State. The legislative body’s Kurdish blocs and most Sunni MPs boycotted the session. US officials, including President Donald Trump, have stressed that Washington is not planning to withdraw troops from the country it invaded from 2003 until 2011 and re-entered in 2014 to lead the fight against ISIS. The US-led coalition of 81 countries has “provided enhanced training, advise, and assistance and contributed approximately $4 billion in military equipment for the defeat of ISIS,” according to a Coalition press release disseminated on Friday. Contrary to claims in the Parliament resolution that foreign troops are no longer needed to secure the country “due to the end of military operations in Iraq and the achievement of victory," the Coalition press release detailed ten successful operations against ISIS in the past week, including an Iraqi air strike against ISIS tunnels in Kirkuk province that was conducted “under the supervision of the joint Operations Command.” Trump has warned that he will impose sanctions on Iraq if they insist on the withdrawal of US forces from the country. Iraq also relies on Iran sanctions waivers from the US in order to import Iranian gas needed to supply electricity. The current waiver is due to expire in February, at which point they will have to ask the US government to renew it in order to avoid financial penalties. The US imposed a new wave of sanctions against Iran this week after the country retaliated for the assassination of their top general by firing ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases hosting US troops and equipment. Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the new sanctions on Friday, explaining that they will target eight senior Iranian officials involved in “destabilizing” activities in the Middle East. They stated that President Trump will also issue an executive order to impose sanctions on sectors of the Iranian economy including metals, construction, manufacturing, textiles, and mining.
  11. Barzani discusses with the US Secretary of Energy more investment in Kurdistan Economy 08:52 - 10/01/2020 https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=81183 Baghdad- Mawazine News The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masroor Barzani, discussed with the US Secretary of Energy Dan Brolett, by phone, on Friday, the bilateral relations between the two sides. Masrour Al-Barzani said in a tweet on Twitter: "A fruitful contact with the US Secretary of Energy, during which we talked about the relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United States in the field of energy." He added: "We will remain in constant contact and we will work together to enhance economic relations and increase American investment in Kurdistan's energy field." End / 29 BC
  12. Prime Minister Masrour Barzani speaks with US Energy Secretary https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2020/january/prime-minister-masrour-barzani-speaks-with-us-energy-secretary/ Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette spoke by telephone today. Secretary Brouillette conveyed the US Energy Department’s support for expanding the role of US energy companies in the Kurdistan Region. Prime Minister Barzani and Secretary Brouillette were aligned on the need to prioritise coordination on actions that boost the region’s energy security. They agreed to stay in close contact as they work together to strengthen ties in the energy sector. 10 Jan 2020
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