For the first time since 2003 ... there is congruence and understanding between Baghdad and Erbil

[6ly410]

Thanks for everything yota cheers let’s go IQD 

[6ly410]

and also remember a lot has changed.. we had 2 delegation discussing this oil..budget.. deal for the longest time and now they reached a deal.. 

Edited December 13, 2019 by 6ly410

[yota691]

Reach a Deal to pay salaries which pumping the oil does cover that, those long talks are about oversight on border crossing, ports, etc. Who has authority over military, ministries position, etc. Have two different Government agreeing and working in sync. Need an Oil and Gas Law pass in the house to see HCL...

[6ly410]

Good point.. let’s see what happens cheers 

[yota691]

A deputy criticizes the silence of the political blocs for not handing over the region the quantities of oil and previous amounts

Editing Date: 12/14/2019 14:54 • 76 times read

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} Member of the House of Representatives Faleh Khazali criticized the political factions ’silence over the region’s failure to hand over oil quantities and previous amounts.

Khazali said in a tweet on his Twitter account: "The region exports more than 400 thousand barrels amid the silence of most political blocs, and now the government promises us that the region will agree to hand over 250 thousand barrels, and here we say the rest with a pocket of the previous money. Note most of the files I have personally followed. " is over

[yota691]

KURDISTAN FINANCE ISSUED A TABLE TO PAY THE SALARIES OF EMPLOYEES

Sunday, 15 December 2019 1:16 PM

 

 

 

Baghdad / National News Center

The Ministry of Finance and Economy of the Kurdistan Regional Government announced today, Sunday, a salary schedule for all remaining ministries.

The salaries of last September will be disbursed to the employees as follows:

Monday 16/12

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Supreme Judicial Council

People with special needs

Tuesday 12/17

Natural Resources

Endowments and religious affairs

Higher education and scientific research

Wednesday 12/18

The interior

Asayish Council and Foundation

Zirvani's forces

Emergency and defense

General Directorate of Nationality

Protection of oil installations police

Thursday 12/19

Municipalities and tourism

transportation

Electricity

Planning

Agriculture

Human Rights Commission

Integrity Commission

Investment Authority

Environment Agency

Mine Corporation

Kurdistan regions outside the administration of the region

Office of Financial Supervision

Electoral Commission

Sunday 22/12

Ages

Culture and youth

trade and Industry

Territory Presidency

Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Parliament Presidency

Military retirees

Monday 12/23

Civil retirees

[yota691]

The governor of Erbil sets options to confront regional and international risks and interference in Iraqi affairs

Editing Date: 12/15/2019 12:13 • 105 times read

(Erbil: Al Furat News) The governor of Erbil, Sufat Sufat, stressed on Sunday the necessity of mutual understanding and cooperation in Iraq "to prevent the return of terrorist groups and stand against all dangers facing us in the future and prevent regional and international interference in the internal affairs of Iraq and determine our destiny ourselves away from external interference." ".

In his opening speech to the Najaf-Erbil Forum, "Prospects for the Relations of the Kurds - Shiites" organized by the Rudaw Studies Center in Erbil, Sufi said that "Erbil opens its doors again to embrace national reconciliation and the historic initiative to solve the problem of the political process and rebuild trust between all components of Iraq."
He added that "the Iraqi governorates are currently witnessing protests and demonstrations calling for reform and the provision of services and evaluation of the political process in a manner that leads to stability and development must respond to the demands put forward in accordance with legal and constitutional frameworks."
He continued: "We view with great concern the continuation of violence and killings targeting peaceful civilian demonstrators and security forces, and we take the opportunity to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, share their sorrows and wish the speedy recovery of the wounded."
He explained: "We affirm that peaceful demonstrations are a constitutionally guaranteed right and all parties must deal with national responsibility and spirit so that events do not spin out of control and do not spill more fine blood."
He stressed that "mutual understanding and cooperation is necessary to prevent the return of terrorist groups, which still pose the greatest danger to all of us. As we have triumphed over the alleged caliphate state through the sacrifices of our sons, we can form with our cooperation and solidarity a strong barrier against all the risks facing us in the future and prevent regional and international interference." In the internal affairs of Iraq and we determine our destiny ourselves away from external interference. "
He pointed out that "this elite forum will form the cornerstone for building a common vision about societal relations and their impact on rebuilding the federal federal state in accordance with the principle of equal citizenship and democracy with the aim of advancing the reality of society and the state to more sophisticated and harmonious levels."
The Governor of Erbil stated that "the national interest forms the basis of the social contract, which must be in accordance with legitimate and applicable settlements through specific initiatives and jurisprudence that address immediate problems and erase the effects of the past, but rather invest them in building more integrated and integrated community relations in the future."
He concluded his speech by saying: "We hope from this forum that it will come out with recommendations and initiatives on many problematic issues regarding security, economy, energy, national reconciliation, correcting the course of the political process and constitutional and legal mechanisms to address it and offer innovative and sustainable solutions."
He went on to say: "We hope from this forum to provide realistic solutions on constitutional grounds to solve the outstanding problems between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government in addition to the national reconciliation between the components." He indicated: "It is the responsibility of the forum and the noble elites to study the issue of reconciliation between the citizen and the state and we need here a new vision A different methodology in administration restores the citizen’s confidence in the state, its policies, and public policy by fighting corruption, improving services, providing employment opportunities, balanced development between all regions, and transparency in management and distribution.
At ten o'clock in the morning of Sunday, December 15, 2019, the Najaf-Erbil forum, organized by the Rudaw Study Center, began to discuss the horizons of relations between the Kurds and Shiites, with the participation of more than 80 personalities, officials, political observers, and academics.
Zerian Rogahlati, a researcher at the Rudaw Center for Studies, said that the forum is part of the Rudaw Center for Studies and the Rudaw Media Network for the Iraqi Dialogue and the Dialogue between the Different Components and Groups in Iraq. In this context, the dialogue between the Kurds and the Shiites is of great importance.
He added: "The type of relations between the Kurds and the Shiites can affect the future of Iraq and establish some events in the Middle East as well."
The forum includes three dialogue sessions: the
current conditions, the impact of the demonstrations on the relations of the Kurds - the Shiites
- the process of building the new state in Iraq and the relations of the Kurds - the Shiites: "the role of internal and external factors: political - social - security - economic"
- the development of relations between the Kurds - the Shiites , And its methods

[yota691]

BARZANI REFERS TO "CHALLENGES" FACING THE KURDISTAN REGION AND HOW TO ADDRESS THEM

Saturday, 14 December 2019 6:46 PM

 

 

 

Baghdad / National News Center

Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani met on Saturday in Salah al-Din with the official of the party’s professional and mass organizations organization and the secretaries of women, students and youth unions.

During the meeting, Barzani delivered a speech in which he shed light on the political situation and the latest changes at the level of Iraq and the region, noting the challenges facing the people of Kurdistan and how to address them.

He also talked about the active role of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in defending and protecting Kurdistan, declaring that the Kurdistan people rewarded the party during the previous elections in appreciation of their positions.

At the same meeting, President Barzani renewed his support for the projects and programs of the Kurdistan Regional Government, as well as in various other areas.

He also expressed his support for organizing and improving the conditions of the Peshmerga Kurdistan, describing that step as (the task) for the sake of the region's development and progress.

[yota691]

Private "Al-Ahed News" .. Kurdistan and Baghdad end the crisis of 250 thousand barrels and the budget of the region

By mustafa k 16/12/2019 09:57 AM | Views: 1317

 

Private "Al-Ahed News" .. Kurdistan and Baghdad end the crisis of 250 thousand barrels and the budget of the region
Al-Ahed News - Erbil

Member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Subhi Al-Mandalawi, announced the agreement between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the export of 250 thousand barrels in exchange for Baghdad to pay the region's budget for 2020.

Al-Mandalawi told Al-Ahd News today, Monday, that "an agreement has been reached between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the export of 250,000 barrels of oil in exchange for Baghdad to pay the region's budget, as well as the peshmerga dues and the application of other constitutional articles."

He added that "the dialogues are still ongoing on the budget for the coming year 2020 and the region's share thereof."

[6ly410]

KRG rekindles implementation of Article 140

24 minutes ago

Mohammed Rwanduzy

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/151220191

A fighter with Popular Mobilization Forces stands guard in Tuz Khormato, Saladin province on October 16, 2017. File Photo: 

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region- The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has sent a proposal to the Government of Iraq (GOI) to rekindle the implementation process of Article 140 to resolve the status of disputed territories.

Talks had previously been held with the two largest Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), before the capital was rocked by protests now in their third month. 

Khalid Shwani, KRG’s Regional Minister for Federal Affairs, who is tasked with negotiations with the GOI, told Rudaw on Saturday that a committee has been formed between the  KRG and GOI, and KRG has already presented a proposal on “two different levels”.

The committee aims to work on normalizing the “current military, security and administrative and demographic conditions of Kirkuk and other disputed territories” as well as “re-starting” the implementation of Article 140, according to Shwani. 

Article 140, which hopes to settle the contended status of disputed territories in Nineveh, Diyala, Saladin and Kirkuk provinces is source of tension between the two governments, and its lack of implementation has soured Erbil-Baghdad relations in recent years. 

During the Baathist period, the regime undertook an Arabization campaign, in which land was confiscated from Kurds, Turkmen and other minority groups. 

The campaign largely targeted the Kurdish demography, many of whom were forcefully settled in Erbil after their homes were given to Arab families, who were given financial incentives to relocate from southern and central Iraqi provinces.

Following the fall of Saddam, Article 150 was instilled in the 2005 constitution- but has yet to be implemented. 

Based on the Article 140, areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, Arabs would be compensated and sent back to their original areas of residence, with Kurds and Turkmen given back their land, compensated, and helped to return to their homes.

This was to be followed by a referendum whereby  residents would be given the opportunity to either fully join the Kurdistan Region or be ruled by Baghdad, to take place no later than 31 December 2007.

Baghdad has had full administrative and military control over Kirkuk, since October 16, 2017. 

As a response to Kurdistan’s independence referendum in 2017, Iraq’s Army, backed by Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) paramilitaries, invaded  Kirkuk and the disputed territories, forcing the Peshmerga to retreat.

Arabs and Turkmen, the largest two minorities of the province, have  called for internal discussions before the issue is taken to Baghdad.  
On Saturday, the Executive Board of the Iraqi Turkmen Front met, to discuss mainly Iraq's conditions amid more than 2 months of popular protests in the South.

"If discussions about this matter are between Erbil and Baghdad, I will say it from now: they will fail. This matter has nothing to do with Baghdad. This is related to the components of Kirkuk," Arshad Salihi, head of the Turkmen Front, said following the party meeting.

"It is better if we Turkmen and Arabs reach an agreement. Then we should go to Baghdad and say, 'Here are our solutions,'" Salihi added.

Iraq’s federal court has already upheld the article, earlier in the year, as still in effect and constitutional, and called for its implementation.

The KRG and GOI recently reached an oil-for-budget agreement, whereby the KRG hands over 250,000 barrels of oil per day to the GOI in return for revenue.

The KRG have tried to capitalize on the good mood to address other outstanding issues.

Cooperation and the settling of the conditions of the disputed territories are critical for a number of reasons, including better KRG-GOI relations. Most importantly, as of late, has been the threatof ISIS rebuilding. 

Due to October 16, 2017 events, Peshmerga-Iraqi Army cooperation and coordination completely broke down as the two forces fought each other. The in-fighting has led to an uptake in ISIS attacks on both Iraqi and Peshmerga forces. 

Edited December 16, 2019 by 6ly410

[6ly410]

KURDISTAN PRESIDENT TO MEET POLITICAL PARTIES FOR SECOND TIME ABOUT BAGHDAD COALITION

President of the Kurdistan Region and Commander-in-Chief of the Peshmerga Forces Nechirvan Barzani participates in the graduation ceremony of the the Military Academy in Zakho, on November 12, 2019. (Kurdistan Region Presidency)

11 Hours ago 

http://www.nrttv.com/En/News.aspx?id=18373&MapID=1

 

SULAIMANI — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani is set to meet with the Region's political parties on Monday (December 16) in an attempt to establish a united stance in Baghdad.

A similar meeting took place on December 10, but yielded no tangible result.

Officials from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the Change Movement (Gorran), the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), and the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) will be participating in the meeting, according to NRT Digital Media reporter in Erbil Herish Qadir.

The New Generation Movement declined to participate in the second meeting, as well as the first, Qadir said.

Following the meeting last week, KIG lawmaker Ahmed Haji Rashid told NRT Digital Media that any cooperation must fulfil larger goals than the needs of the KDP or PUK.

“We have told them that the unity must be on the basis of principles, not on the basis of monopolization and the use of Kurdish votes for parties’ interests,” he said.

(NRT Digital Media)

 

[6ly410]

Parties must unite to draft constitution: Kurdistan's parliamentary speaker

1 hour ago

Mohammed Rwanduzy

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/161220191

 

Kurdistan's parliamentary speaker Rewaz Fayaq as seen on December 15, 2019. Photo: Rudaw TV

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan’s parties need to come together to reach agreements before a draft constitution is written, Kurdistan Region’s Parliament Speaker Rewaz Fayaq has told Rudaw.

In an interview with Rudaw on Sunday, Fayaq said that three key issues: namely the future of territories disputed  between Erbil and Baghdad, proposed styles of governance and debates over a secular or religious constitution have created a deadlock between political parties, despite a constitutional committee being formed earlier this year. 

“We have visited all the political parties, and then we visited the Regional President and asked him to have all the political parties meet with him so that they come to an agreement over the disagreements [about the constitution],” Fayaq said.

The Kurdistan Region does not currently have a constitution, instead governed by a series of run by laws, instructions and norms. 

Iraq’s 2005 constitution is adopted by the Region for many aspects, but is run by a different governance system. A hybrid presidential-parliamentary system, where the balance of power is with the President of the Region, is in place.

The regional parliament appointed a committee in mid-2019 consisting of 21 MPs, legal experts and minority representatives, to draft a constitution. It was given 90 days, now expired, to a draft a constitution. 

Fayaq called for the renewal of its mandate. 

“One has to be realistic. I know that if parties don’t come to an agreement then the committee, whether it is 21 individuals or 25, won’t be able to prepare a draft,” Fayaq conceded.

In 2009, academics, legal and constitutional experts all prepared a draft of a Kurdistan Region constitution, sending it to the regional  parliament. The draft, however, remained deadlocked in the parliament for a number of reasons, mainly disagreements between parties.

The disagreements then revolved around mainly the topic of a future governance system: whether it should be parliamentary or presidential-based.

The ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), whose President Masoud Barzani was then the President of Kurdistan Region, favored a presidential system, while the opposition Gorran (Change) Movement pushed for a parliamentary system, claiming that would prevent authoritarianism and dictatorship taking root in the Region.

In 2015, Asayesh (Security) forces belonging to the KDP who control the capital of Erbil, prevented the Parliament’s Speaker, Gorran’s Yousif Mohammed, and Gorran ministers in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) from entering Erbil, de-facto closing the parliament until near the end of 2017.

Although the parties are now on good terms, the governance issue is still disputed. 

The main issue now revolves the status of disputed territories, and whether or not they should be included within the borders of the Kurdistan Region. 

“We can’t relinquish the Kurdistan areas outside of the Region’s control, Kirkuk, Khanaqin, and Shingal,” Fayaq asserted.

The Kurdistan Region currently consists of four provinces, Erbil, Duhok, Sulaimani, and Halabja, as also defined by the Iraqi constitution. However, Baghdad and Erbil also lay claim to lands in Kirkuk Diyala, Saladin, and Nineveh Provinces.

These areas underwent a process of 'Arabization' by the former Baath regime.  Article 140 of Iraqi constitution was set to resolve their status in a popular referendum by no later than 31 December, 2007, but the article was never implemented.

“If we do put this [include disputed territories in the Kurdistan Region], some people will come and say this is against the 2005 [Iraqi] constitution,” revealed Fayaq.

“The other thing is whether we continue to depend on Article 2 of 2005 [Iraqi] constitution as the source of legislation or formulate something else,” Fayaq added.

Per the Article, laws that contradict the established provinces of Islam cannot be enacted.

“Islam is the official religion of the State and is a foundation source of legislation,” reads Article 2 of the Iraqi constitution.

Both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq are religiously diverse, home to multiple faith groups including Yezidis, Christians, Yarsanis and Mandaeans, among others. Article 2 of the constitution has always been a source of criticism, but Kurdistan Region’s Islamist parties have argued for its inclusion in a future constitution.

The talks on constitutional amendment in Kurdistan region comes at a time when Baghdad and Iraqi political parties mull amendments to the federal constitution  to meet the demands of protesters who have rocked cities across the south since October. 

Talk of change to the 2005 constitution in Baghdad has provoked worry  among many Kurdish political figures, who believe it to be a milestone  in the acquisition of greater rights for Iraq’s biggest ethnic minority after the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein.

Kurds believe that the 2005 constitution is not flawed, but its incomplete implementation of the constitution has created instability  in Iraq.

Kurds alongside Iraqi Shia and Sunnis, were an essential part of the committee which wrote the Iraqi constitution, supervised by  the US after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Kurds consider the Iraqi  constitution as the document in which the rights of Kurds and  Kurdistan region is preserved.

Edited December 16, 2019 by 6ly410

[6ly410]

PM REAFFIRMS KRG’S COMMITMENT TO SECURING REGION AS CENTER OF ‘STABILITY’ 

Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani meets with Canada's newly appointed ambassador to Iraq Ulric Shannon in Erbil, December 16, 2019. KRG Photo 

1 Hours Ago

http://www.nrttv.com/En/News.aspx?id=18392&MapID=1

 

SULAIMANI — Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday (December 16) reaffirmed the KRG’s commitment to securing the Region as a center of “stability and security”.

Premier Barzani met with Canada’s new ambassador to Iraq Ulric Shannon in Erbil on Monday, the KRG said in a statement. 

Barzani and Shannon discussed the latest developments in Iraq and in the Middle East as well as their influence on the Kurdistan Region, according to the statement. 

The KRG prime minister “reaffirmed the new Kurdistan Regional Government’s commitment to establishing the region as a centre of stability and security,” the statement read.

He also said the KRG would continue to reinforce “trusted relationships” with its partners in the West including bilateral ties with Canada.

Barzani also called on the Canadian ambassador to further the exchange of knowledge and experience between the Region and Canada, the KRG said.

“There are a number of sectors of possible enhanced cooperation between us and KRG, which I am keen to develop,” Shannon said on Twitter. 

(NRT Digital Media)

[6ly410]

Barzani party sets a Kurdish condition for the acceptance of the candidate for prime minister!

http://iraqtoday.com/ar/news/34613/حزب-بارزاني-يضع-شرطا-كرديا-لقبول-المرشح-لرئاسة-الوزراء-?latest

Policy , 12/16 2019 22:00 , Number of readings: 258

 

 

 

Baghdad - Iraq today:

Member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Said Mamouzini, affirmed that his party does not cooperate with any future government that cancels previous agreements between Erbil and Baghdad.

"We informed the political blocs on our condition that the interests of the citizens and the strength of the Kurdish people should not be tampered with, especially the issue of salaries with any government or prime minister agreed upon," said Muzuzini.

He added that "the last oil agreement between Baghdad and Erbil was signed before the resigned government submitted its resignation, and this has nothing to do with who is at the head of the government."

Muzuzini affirmed, “These are entitlements that cannot be tolerated or tampered with, and we will reject any prime minister trying to manipulate the people of the Kurdistan region, and we hope that this does not happen and we expect that it will not happen because all political blocs are concerned with political stability between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government.”

The member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Repin Salam, has said that there is no problem for his party by naming the Shiite forces of Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani or others as prime minister.

Salam said in an interview with (Baghdad Today): "We do not have any veto on any candidate, including the Sudanese, and we hope that it will be agreed upon at least to cross the country and save it from chaos."

He added, "The agreement within the Shiite house, we hope, will take place, because failure to please the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, threatens stability, and he has political and popular weight."

He continued, saying: "We hope that the Shiite component will agree on this or any other name, because the country is heading towards a state of complete chaos, especially after the recent scenes that we witnessed in Baghdad."

And last Friday, the media circulated news that most of the political forces had agreed to name Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani as Prime Minister, to succeed resigning Adel Abdul Mahdi.

[6ly410]

Kurdish forces are awaiting the Shiite alliance and its eye on finance and justice in the next government

http://iraqtoday.com/ar/news/34614/القوى-الكردية-بانتظار-التحالف-الشيعي-وعينها-على-المالية-والعدل-في-الحكومة-المقبلة?latest

 

Policy , 12/16 2019 22:35 , Number of readings: 213

 

 

 

Baghdad - Iraq today:

Informed political sources revealed that the Kurdish parties have not decided yet to weight any candidate, but they have finalized their political requirements, including keeping the oil agreement concluded with the current oil minister, Thamer Al-Ghadban, without change, and also keeping some ministerial portfolios that have without A change.

The sources indicated to "Iraq Today" that "the negotiating Shiite forces were informed by the Kurds of their desire to keep my financial and justice portfolios at least while assigning the position of Deputy Prime Minister to one of the two ministers."

The sources pointed out, "The Kurds informed the Shiite forces, that their delegation is ready as soon as the name of the Prime Minister who is produced by the Shiite house is agreed upon."

For his part, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Aram Jabbari, stressed that his party does not put any veto against any candidate for the post of prime minister, while stressing that "what is important" is that we do not "go to chaos"

. Jabbari said, in a press interview, that "the candidate for prime minister is chosen by the Shiite blocs, but if the protesters choose a certain personality for the prime minister and the Shiite blocs agree to him, we will support him too," stressing, "We have no veto against any candidate." For the position. "

He added, "What is important for us is that we do not go to chaos and constitutional emptiness," stressing "speeding up the nomination of the candidate for prime minister, because time is running out."

. He added: "The demonstrators should dialogue with the political blocs on the names they provide for this position because they do not have a stable candidate."

In a related context, deputies expected the President of the Republic, Barham Salih, to receive the task of prime minister in addition to his primary job after the end of the constitutional period assigned to assign a certain person to take over the functions of the prime minister without reaching solutions.

"There is nothing yet on the political scene," said Member of Parliament Abbas Al-Sayyed Sarrut. "There is only what is being discussed in the media regarding the nomination of a person to take over as prime minister after Adel Abdul-Mahdi resigned from his post."

He added, "Any person who is running now finds objections, whether from the political blocs or from the demonstrators, which leads to withdrawing her candidacy and replacing her with another, knowing that everyone who nominates is professional and clean his job record while he holds positions in the provinces where he worked or ministries."

And Sarout expected that "the President of the Republic will replace a prime minister in addition to his job to end the constitutional period without reaching solutions regarding a personal candidacy for this position, despite the constitutional problems that will emerge after that."

 

[DropItLikeItsHot]

KRG rekindles implementation of Article 140

 

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region- The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has sent a proposal to the Government of Iraq (GOI) to rekindle the implementation process of Article 140 to resolve the status of disputed territories.

Talks had previously been held with the two largest Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), before the capital was rocked by protests now in their third month. 

Khalid Shwani, KRG’s Regional Minister for Federal Affairs, who is tasked with negotiations with the GOI, told Rudaw on Saturday that a committee has been formed between the  KRG and GOI, and KRG has already presented a proposal on “two different levels”.

The committee aims to work on normalizing the “current military, security and administrative and demographic conditions of Kirkuk and other disputed territories” as well as “re-starting” the implementation of Article 140, according to Shwani. 

Article 140, which hopes to settle the contended status of disputed territories in Nineveh, Diyala, Saladin and Kirkuk provinces is source of tension between the two governments, and its lack of implementation has soured Erbil-Baghdad relations in recent years. 

During the Baathist period, the regime undertook an Arabization campaign, in which land was confiscated from Kurds, Turkmen and other minority groups. 

The campaign largely targeted the Kurdish demography, many of whom were forcefully settled in Erbil after their homes were given to Arab families, who were given financial incentives to relocate from southern and central Iraqi provinces.

Following the fall of Saddam, Article 150 was instilled in the 2005 constitution- but has yet to be implemented. 

Based on the Article 140, areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, Arabs would be compensated and sent back to their original areas of residence, with Kurds and Turkmen given back their land, compensated, and helped to return to their homes.

This was to be followed by a referendum whereby  residents would be given the opportunity to either fully join the Kurdistan Region or be ruled by Baghdad, to take place no later than 31 December 2007.

Baghdad has had full administrative and military control over Kirkuk, since October 16, 2017. 

As a response to Kurdistan’s independence referendum in 2017, Iraq’s Army, backed by Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) paramilitaries, invaded  Kirkuk and the disputed territories, forcing the Peshmerga to retreat.

Arabs and Turkmen, the largest two minorities of the province, have  called for internal discussions before the issue is taken to Baghdad.  
On Saturday, the Executive Board of the Iraqi Turkmen Front met, to discuss mainly Iraq's conditions amid more than 2 months of popular protests in the South.

"If discussions about this matter are between Erbil and Baghdad, I will say it from now: they will fail. This matter has nothing to do with Baghdad. This is related to the components of Kirkuk," Arshad Salihi, head of the Turkmen Front, said following the party meeting.

"It is better if we Turkmen and Arabs reach an agreement. Then we should go to Baghdad and say, 'Here are our solutions,'" Salihi added.

Iraq’s federal court has already upheld the article, earlier in the year, as still in effect and constitutional, and called for its implementation.

The KRG and GOI recently reached an oil-for-budget agreement, whereby the KRG hands over 250,000 barrels of oil per day to the GOI in return for revenue.

The KRG have tried to capitalize on the good mood to address other outstanding issues.

Cooperation and the settling of the conditions of the disputed territories are critical for a number of reasons, including better KRG-GOI relations. Most importantly, as of late, has been the threat of ISIS rebuilding.

Due to October 16, 2017 events, Peshmerga-Iraqi Army cooperation and coordination completely broke down as the two forces fought each other. The in-fighting has led to an uptake in ISIS attacks on both Iraqi and Peshmerga forces. 

•  

[6ly410]

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani meets British Ambassador to Iraq

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – Prime Minister Masrour Barzani today received the British Ambassador to Iraq, Stephen Hickey.

Prime Minister Barzani updated Ambassador Hickey on the progress made in talks between the Kurdistan Regional Government and federal government of Iraq, including an agreement on the 2020 national budget bill.

Prime Minister Barzani affirmed that the KRG will continue its efforts to maintain a constructive and stable relationship with Baghdad and secure a fair deal for the people of the Kurdistan Region.

Highlighting the already substantial economic and political ties between the Kurdistan Region and UK, Prime Minister Barzani noted that there is a mutual desire to strengthen the bilateral relationship. He urged British investors to consider opportunities in the Kurdistan Region as the new government implements reforms to diversify its economy and attract investment.

17 Dec 2019

Edited December 17, 2019 by 6ly410

[yota691]

The disclosure of the visit of a Turkish intelligence delegation to Erbil .. These are its details

Political | 02:53 - 18/12/2019

 

 

 

 

Baghdad - Mawazine News
, a security source revealed, Wednesday, the details of the visit of a Turkish intelligence delegation to Erbil.
The source said, to / Mawazine News, that "a delegation of Turkish intelligence has been present in Arbil for several days, and conducted official meetings with government officials and one of the Kurdish parties."
He added, "The visit comes to discuss the campaigns launched against Turkey by the Kurds in the Kurdistan region after the Ankara attack on the Kurdish areas in western Kurdistan (northeastern Syria)."

[bostonangler]

Iraq’s 550,000 Bpd Oil Deal Is In Jeopardy

Simon Watkins

Oilprice.comDecember 17, 2019

The much-vaunted deal involving the transfer of oil from the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in Iraq’s north in exchange for budget disbursements from the federal government is in Baghdad in a lot of trouble for a lot of reasons. Not only are both sides of the country in the midst of enormous domestic political upheaval but also both find themselves in a tug of war between disparate foreign powers, each looking for a piece of the enormous oil and gas resources spread across the region. In fact, it will be Russia, China, and Iran that will decide whether the oil-for-budget-payments deal goes ahead.

Just a month or so ago, there was the usual fanfare of optimistic comments that accompanies the announcement of all resumptions of the oil-for-budget-payments deal. The longstanding framework for this was the deal struck between the two sides in November 2014 in which the government of the Kurdistan region (the KRG) agreed to export up to 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from its own fields and Kirkuk via Baghdad’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). In return, Baghdad would send 17 per cent of the federal budget after sovereign expenses per month in budget payments to the KRG.

Since then, both sides have relentlessly cheated on the deal. The KRG has at various times stopped all oil shipments to SOMO, preferring instead to try to sell it to a range of other countries, including much of the energy-starved Former Soviet Union states, Turkey, and Israel, among others. Baghdad has sought to take the KRG to court repeatedly to stop such activity on the basis that it is illegal.

In fact, it is absolutely unclear what the legal position of such unilateral sales is. According to the KRG, it has authority under Articles 112 and 115 of the Iraq Constitution to man­age oil and gas in the Kurdistan Region extracted from fields that were not in production in 2005 - the year that the Constitution was adopted by referendum. Baghdad, however, believes that under Article 111 of the Constitution, oil and gas are under the ownership of all the people of Iraq in all the regions and governorates and consequently the oil cannot be sold off and the proceeds kept by just one of those regions.

 

In the run-up to the latest ‘agreement’, Baghdad had come up with a particularly tricky new tactic on cutting back on the level of budget payments that were to have been made to the KRG. Rather than the previous 17 per cent share of the federal government of Iraq (FGI) in Baghdad’s budget in exchange for a full quota of oil – at least 250,000 bpd but up to the original 550,000 bpd - coming from the KRG, the offer from Baghdad was for just 12.67 per cent. Baghdad said this figure was more in line with the percentage population of the KRG area in Iraq’s as a whole.

For its part, under the advice of Iran, OilPrice.com understands from a senior source who works closely with Iraq’s Oil Ministry, the KRG was for a long time offering as a starting point in the negotiations with the FGI that the Kurdistan area received 40 per cent of the revenues for the oil that it sends to the south. Also, the KRG was suggesting an additional sliding scale of further payments to compensate it for the security for the fields that would be provided by the Kurdish Peshmerga. This would have brought the total up to between 55 and 58 per cent for the KRG.

The actual purpose of all of these helpful whispers by Iran was to sow complete mayhem in both north and south, allowing it to cement its power across the country. This power had been enormous ever since the end of the Iran-Iraq war and particularly after the removal of Saddam Hussein from Iraq. It reached its most obvious expression, perhaps, just after the Kurdistan independence vote in 2017 when, during widespread pro-separatist violent demonstrations, 3,000 of Iran’s crack Quds force (under the personal command of Iran’s top field commander, Major General Qasem Soleimani) moved into Kurdistan to ‘restore order’.

Iran, working with Russia, had a lot of leverage over the ruling Barzani family in Kurdistan, which it had been working to allow it and Russia to exploit this advantage to take control of various major oil and gas fields and infrastructure. This included allegedly hard evidence that Masoud Barzani and his son, Masrour (then de facto head of the KRG’s intelligence services and now prime minister) had stolen 28 per cent of all of the KRG’s entire oil export stock.

 

The resulting funds had then allegedly been deposited in an account in a bank in Northern Cyprus under the name of Masrour’s then-mistress, who, Iran said, was connected to Russia’s Sluzhba vneshney razvedki foreign intelligence agency. Shortly after this chat, Russian oil behemoth, Rosneft, signed a deal that basically gave it control over the Kurdistan’s oil industry and Masoud Barzani announced that he would be stepping down as President and leaving frontline politics altogether.

The plan then was for Russia to use this extremely solid base in the north to project its influence further into the south. This was the catalyst for Gazprom Neft to continue in Badra, and to look for further opportunities in the north and south of Iraq. Initially, Gazprom Neft began to operate Badra under the profoundly unpopular Technical Service Contract (TSC) that was the norm for Baghdad for many years. The Russian company took 30% of the field, with the other consortium members being South Korea’s KOGAS, Malaysia’s Petronas, Turkey’s TPAO and Iraq’s Oil Exploration Company. It also meant that, with Russia’s number one oil company, Rosneft, in control of all of Kurdistan’s pipeline infrastructure in the north, the stage was set for the entrance of Russia’s number one gas company, Gazprom, to exploit Iraq’s vast gas resources as well, given expectations that Gazprom’s monopoly on exporting Russian gas through pipelines is to end in 2020.

 

These plans, though, did not factor in the emergence of the firebrand ultra-nationalist cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, and his Sairoon alliance as the dominant behind-the-scenes force in Iraq politics. Gaining the most seats at the last election, this power block has been ruling Iraq ever since, with the soon-to-depart Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi acting as the public puppet. Crucially, it was with him (al-Sadr) that the latest KRG-Baghdad oil-for-budget-payments deal was made and it was not in the interests of Russia, or Iran, or China for that matter, which also seeks to expand its footprint in Iraq, as it is doing in neighbouring Iran.

“Russia wants a lot more from this understanding than was being conceded in that deal, and it will ultimately get it,” the Iraq source told OilPrice.com last week. “You just have to look at what it [Russia] had agreed with the previous [Iraq] government [of Haider al-Abadi] before al-Sadr did so well,” he added. At that time, Moscow had insisted through the KRG that oil flows would not restart until pipeline transit fees were paid to Rosneft including extensive back-payments, the amount of which was to be determined by Russia - which now has a 60% per cent stake in the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline. Moscow also wanted Baghdad to look again at its decision to deem ‘invalid’ the assignment to Rosneft by the KRG of five exploration blocks in Kurdish territory. Not only were all of these points agreed by the al-Abadi government but also Rosneft was to have been awarded a greater pumping tariff and an accommodation with the Baghdad-controlled Kirkuk oil hub itself. “Russia is now demanding much greater representation for its companies in the south and the [oil-for-budget-payments] deal will not function in any meaningful way before that is agreed,” the Iraq source concluded.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/iraq-550-000-bpd-oil-230000689.html

 

Geeeez

B/A

[6ly410]

KRG: New Iraqi PM must uphold past Erbil-Baghdad agreements

 Kurdistan 24 |

5 hours ago

 

 

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The flags of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, side by side. (Photo: Archive)

 

Iraq Baghdad Erbil Erbil Baghdad Relations Iraq Protests https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/62607fb6-0d73-4146-a58c-bd3446689a3a

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Amid ongoing political wrangling to replace Iraq's prime minister who has resigned in response to mass national protests, the spokesperson of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said on Thursday that Iraq's next leader must adhere to current agreements between Erbil and Baghdad and must also respect the "constitutional rights" of the Kurdistan Region.

Following a near-total breakdown of ties between the federal and regional governments following the Kurdistan Region's September 2017 independence referendum, the governments have since converged on a range of issues. Most of the progress was made after Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi, still in power as the head of the temporary caretaker government, came into office in late 2018.

Abdul Mahdi, however, stepped down in early December, two months after widespread protests plunged the country into a fresh crisis as members of the security forces led harsh crackdown campaigns, killing upwards of 500 demonstrators and wounding close to 21,000 others.

As the protests gained momentum in October and November, Erbil-Baghdad talks struck a pause but have resumed in recent weeks. Following a series of meetings earlier this month, the Iraqi oil minister stated that the two sides had reached a deal on oil exports, a long contentious issue that the two governments have been seeking to settle since last year.

Read More: Erbil-Baghdad oil agreement to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020: Minister

Speaking to Kurdistan 24, KRG spokesperson Jotyar Adil reiterated Erbil’s support for peaceful protests and their legitimate demands. Anti-government demonstrations began in early October, calling for a complete overhaul of the Iraqi government they see as chronically corrupt and indifferent to the public’s concerns.

“Our agreements have been reached on the basis of mutual understanding and any person taking the premiership must be committed” to the deals and the national constitution, he affirmed.

Adil’s comments come as Iraqi President Barham Salih, who has the constitutional duty of nominating the next prime minister, reportedly delayed naming a candidate as disputes linger over who would take the post amid reservations that protesters would reject the pick of leading political parties in the capital. 

[ronscarpa]

3 minutes ago, 6ly410 said:

KRG: New Iraqi PM must uphold past Erbil-Baghdad agreements

 

THANKS 6ly410  BLESSINGS ..... RON 

[6ly410]

Future Iraqi PM "Must" Adhere to Current Erbil-Baghdad Deals: KRG

 

 BasNews   19/12/2019 - 23:46  Published inKurdistan

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/kurdistan/568666

 

ERBIL - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) made it clear on Thursday that the future Iraqi PM "must" adhere to the current agreements between Erbil and Baghdad and the autonomous region's constitutional rights.

The comments were made by KRG's spokesperson Jutiar Adil in a statement to Kurdistan 24, in which he also noted that the Kurdistan Region supports the peaceful demonstrations in Iraq.

"Our agreements have been reached on the basis of mutual understanding and any person taking the premiership must be committed" to the deals and the national constitution, Adil said.

The KRG and Iraqi government have reached an agreement on the budget and other subjects related to oil, based on which Erbil will start sending 250,000 barrels per day to Baghdad on January 1, 2020.

[yota691]

Baz Karim emerges as frontrunner to lead KRG oil sector

A long-time central player in Kurdistan's oil industry, the CEO of KAR Group has already become a trusted advisor of KRG Prime Minister Masrur Barzani.

Baz Karim, President and CEO of Kar Group, at the Kalak refinery in Erbil, Iraq. (SEBASTIAN MEYER/Metrography/Iraq Oil Report)

By CATHY OTTEN, RAWAZ TAHIR, MOHAMMED HUSSEIN AND STAFF of Iraq Oil Report
Published Friday, December 13th, 2019

 

ERBIL - Baz Karim, the president and CEO of the Iraqi-Kurdish oil company KAR Group, is the current frontrunner to take the helm of the Kurdistan region’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), according to several people informed of internal deliberations.

“It’s effectively a done deal; it’s just a matter of time,” said a senior official in the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. “He has the connections locally and internationally, he is well respected, and he is in the main position. But it is Kurdistan, so he is not appointed until he is appointed – but effectively he is the man.”

[6ly410]

Middle East

British ambassador discusses UK-Kurdistan ties, security and political developments in Iraq

Hiwa Shilani |

Just now

 

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/4557ff53-82b1-452b-8099-115d5739f805

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Stephen Hickey, the United Kingdom Ambassador to Iraq. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

 

 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan 24 recently sat with Stephen Hickey, the United Kingdom’s new Ambassador to Iraq, to discuss UK-Kurdistan ties as well as the political and security situation in Iraq.

Hickey assumed his role as the new UK Ambassador to Iraq in September. During a trip to Erbil last week, Ambassador Hickey met with senior Kurdistan Region leaders before sitting with Kurdistan 24’s Ferhad Resul for an exclusive interview.

Kurdistan Region

Hickey expressed his astonishment at the “incredible progress that’s been made” in the Kurdistan Region since his last visit a decade ago.

“Just driving around Erbil, it’s very impressive to see all the development that’s happened on the economic side, and I’m very excited by the opportunities for trade and investment between the UK and [the Kurdistan Region] in the months ahead,” the British ambassador relayed.

He also discussed his recent meetings with senior Kurdish officials, labeling them as “very productive.” Hickey noted that the discussions focused on how the UK and the Kurdistan Region can work together.

He described the historical ties and cooperation between Kurdistan and the UK in various spheres, including politics, economy, and security.

“We talked about how we can strengthen our cooperation in the years ahead,” he told Kurdistan 24. 

Ambassador Hickey discussed his meeting with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, expressing the UK’s support for “his attempts to reform the government, and to make the government more efficient and to deliver better for citizens.”

“We want to support that in every way that we can. At the same time, we also talked about the wider challenges in Iraq and how we can work together to tackle some of those.” 

Iraq

Ambassador Hickey noted that in his meetings with senior Kurdistan Region officials, they “discussed the political situation in Iraq,” adding he has “arrived in Iraq at an interesting time.”

Iraq has been engulfed in nationwide protests for nearly three months as protesters express their concerns against the country’s governing elite. Nearly 500 people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security, while some 27,000 others have been injured.

The British ambassador said he spoke with Kurdish officials “about that political crisis in Baghdad, and how we can work together to find a peaceful political solution.”

“We also touched on the wider regional picture. Of course, Erbil sits in the middle of a very interesting and dynamic region with many challenges, and so we discussed the regional situation and how we can work together to ensure that Iraq and [Kurdistan] are stable, prosperous, and democratic,” Hickey added.

Hickey also explained that Iraq is going through a very “important moment,” Hickey explained, and the UK wants “to help Iraq and Iraqis build strong institutions that can help make Iraq a safe, stable, and prosperous place for all Iraqis.”

Britain is working with both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq to “try to overcome this current crisis and to find a solution that reaches a compromise between the demands of the protesters in Iraq and the government of Iraq.”  

The ambassador also affirmed the UK’s support toward the demands of Iraqi protesters, labeling them as “reasonable and legitimate” because the people are calling for better job opportunities, progress in the fight against corruption, and better services.  

“At the same time, we have been very concerned by the violence that has been used against the protesters. There are reports from the Iraqi Human Rights Commission and other human rights organizations that close to 500 Iraqi protesters have been killed since the beginning of October, and close to 20,000 have been injured,” Hickey stated, calling the violence “unacceptable.”    

The British ambassador mentioned his discussions with current Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi regarding the prevention of force and violence against protesters, and also “to conduct transparent investigations” regarding the killing of demonstrators, so culprits are held accountable.     

“There has to be the application of the rule of law both toward the protesters and toward the security forces.” 

When asked if Britain would offer Iraq advice on choosing the next prime minister, Hickey affirmed that “it’s for Iraqis to choose their prime minister—Iraqis alone. It’s not for Britain, it’s not for America, and it’s not for Iran to choose Iraq’s next prime minister.”

Erbil-Baghdad ties

During the interview, Ambassador Hickey was asked about the recent developments between Erbil and Baghdad regarding outstanding issues such as the oil file and the national budget share.

He said the UK welcomes “the progress that’s been made between the KRG and the central government in developing an agreement on the budget and on oil,” which will benefit both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

“Obviously, in Baghdad, we are going to see a new prime minister and a new government in place. We, as the UK, and the wider international community—I’m sure will be encouraging and supporting efforts to reach that agreement because I think if we can get an agreement between the KRG and the central government, this will be good for the stability and the prosperity of the whole of Iraq,” the ambassador added.      

Hickey also affirmed the UK’s support toward the KRG and its Peshmerga in the fight against the so-called Islamic State, calling on all sides not to “lose sight” of the terror group’s ongoing threat in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and neighboring Syria, adding that Britain would continue to work closely with Erbil and Baghdad against the threat.

The British ambassador also emphasized the need to prevent violence in Iraq from escalating into a sectarian fight.

“The priority has to be to introduce political reforms and economic reforms to meet some of the demands from the protesters and to de-escalate the tensions that currently exist, particularly the tensions between the protesters and the political elites.”       

Ambassador Hickey concluded by underlining the seriousness of abandoning the progress Iraq has made since 2003 by shifting from a democratic system into a presidential system of rule in Iraq, which some of Iraq’s political parties are pushing for.

“Iraq has experienced dictatorship and autocracy under Saddam Hussein, and I think Iraqis have learned from that experience, so I think we have to continue to help Iraq build this strong democracy,” he stated, stressing the need for the rule of law, strong institutions, and “having that connection between the demands of people – and protesters – and the political class.”    

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

[yota691]

London calls on Baghdad and Erbil to solve outstanding problems

Sunday, December 22, 2019 76

 

Baghdad / Al-Sabah

 

 

The British government called on the Kurdistan region and the federal government to resolve outstanding problems in accordance with the decisions of the constitution, stressing the need to conclude a security agreement in the disputed areas.

James Thornton, the British consul to the region, said in press statements: that his country supports efforts to solve problems between the federal and provincial governments, pointing to the need to solve problems related to oil and the budget between the two sides.

Thornton urged Baghdad and Erbil to conclude a joint security agreement and increase coordination between them in confronting the terrorist threats of ISIS gangs, especially in the disputed areas that witness repeated terrorist attacks, stressing the importance of resolving differences according to the foundations of the constitution.