ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani slammed Baghdad’s decision to extend the flight ban and accused his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi of sending messages through the media rather than engaging in face-to-face talks with the KRG. Accusing Baghdad of using the flight ban as a “pressure card” against the Kurdistan Region government and population, Barzani said, “It is very unfortunate that a government wants to punish its own citizens in this way." "If they talk about imposing civilian aviation authority, we have already said that we are prepared for that. We are ready to receive them, to talk and accept that,” he continued during his weekly press conference Thursday afternoon following a cabinet meeting in Erbil. On Wednesday, Baghdad extended its ban on international flights in and out of the Kurdistan Region airports. An Iraqi official, however, stated on Thursday that the ban has no expiry date and will remain in place until lifted by the central government. Barzani raised the issue of Najaf airport and questioned why Abadi appeared to have different policies for different parts of the country. The holy city of Najaf receives millions of Shiite pilgrims from neighboring Iran and the rest of the world every year. It has an international airport that is under the authority of Najaf Provincial Council. The province has refused to accept Baghdad's authority over the airport despite repeated requests from the federal government. “How can he treat the people of the same country called Iraq differently? We are concerned about this,” Barzani asked of Abadi. Mixed messages out of Baghdad Barzani said that there are two types of messages coming out of Baghdad – "positive" ones like those from the influential Vice Presidents Nouri al-Maliki and Ayad Allawi and President Fuad Masum’s initiative to instigate talks. But on the other hand, Abadi continues to "punish" the people of Kurdistan. Barzani accused Abadi of using "press conferences" to send his messages through the media and stressed that issues can only be resolved in face-to-face meetings. Abadi has used his Tuesday press conferences to comment on the state of affairs between his and the regional government. In his pressers, he has repeatedly stated that he considers the Kurdish people "first-class citizens” and expressed his regard for Kurds’ wellbeing. Since assuming more responsibility and taking on some of the duties of the presidency, PM Barzani has begun to hold weekly press conferences as well. Abadi "says that he cares about the Kurdistan Region," Barzani said on Wednesday. "I ask, if he really cares, why does he not ask what is happening in Khurmatu city. Did he investigate it? Let him dig in there, to investigate what happened there." The United Nations and rights organizations have documented abuses, largely against the Kurdish population, in Tuz Khurmatu after it fell to Iraqi forces and Shiite militia on October 16. The Kurdistan Region parliament has described the events as “genocide.” Barzani, however, welcomed recent remarks from VP Maliki who told Rudaw in an interview last week that Erbil and Baghdad have to put past disagreements behind then and turn a new page. Baghdad has to help Kurdistan before it is "too late," Maliki stated, warning that Iraq will lose if talks continue to be delayed. This is a softer tone from the politician who was responsible for cutting the KRG’s budget in early 2014 when he was prime minister. He also twice deployed Iraqi forces near Kurdistan Region borders and was the first to hint at using military force in response to the independence referendum. "We are happy about the remarks made by Mr. Maliki," Barzani said. "We welcome these remarks. We welcome serious negotiation with Baghdad. The question is whether we want stability in this country or not. Stability needs serious negotiation with Baghdad. In light of this, the remarks of Mr. Vice President are worth respect. We believe this is the right course. We consider these remarks as the right path and suitable to solve the problems between us and Baghdad." "We want to begin negotiations any time, whenever Baghdad is ready," he added. Baghdad sowing ‘confusion’ with promises to pay salaries Baghdad has paid the salaries of about 420 employees of the KRG Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, but some 1.249 people on the payroll are waiting for pay cheques, Barzani noted. He repeated that they are ready to cooperate with Baghdad to audit the payroll, even on a sector-by-sector basis beginning with education and health, but warned that Abadi may be making promises he will not honour. Abadi wants to "create confusion among the people of the Kurdistan Region," Barzani said, accusing the Iraqi leader of trying to give an impression that Erbil is not cooperating with an audit Baghdad has claimed to be doing. The KRG will hand over its digital employee record to Baghdad whenever they request it, Barzani said. A KRG oil and gas committee will also respond to incorrect information released by Abadi on oil revenues, Barzani added. Abadi said on Tuesday that the KRG exports more than enough of oil to meet its payroll. The KRG has taken transparency initiatives, hiring Deloitte to audit the oil and gas sector. The auditing company will release oil export figures for the first half of 2017 in early 2018, Barzani said.
