In response to a question from Rudaw’s Roj Eli Zalla regarding the US’ position on the disagreement between Erbil and Baghdad over the constitutionality of the Kurdistan Region’s oil and gas law, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price renewed Washington’s call for more cooperation between the Iraqi Federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to resolve their issues.
“We have urged Baghdad and Erbil, the Iraqi government and our Kurdish partners, to work together constructively to resolve any differences, and that remains the case here,” Price said.
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have escalated in the past few months after the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruled in February that the KRG’s oil and gas law was “unconstitutional,” striking down the legal basis for the independence of the Region’s oil and gas sector. The decision was swiftly rejected by the KRG who deemed the judgement to be “unjust” and “unconstitutional”.
Members of the UN Security Council unanimously voted on Thursday to extend the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq's (UNAMI) mandate until May 31, 2023. The council also tasked the mission’s Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert to “actively” support Erbil and Baghdad in working together and holding structured dialogue.
During his remarks to the graduating class of Zakho Military College in Duhok on Thursday, President Nechirvan Barzani asked Baghdad to work towards resolving the outstanding issues with Erbil as soon as possible, “if it truly considers the Kurdistan Region and its people as a part of Iraq.”
The spokesperson also briefly addressed the political impasse in Iraq, stating that the US believes it is important that Iraq moves forward with its government formation process, in order to fulfil the needs and aspirations of the people of the country.
Iraq held parliamentary elections in October, but its political parties have failed to elect a president and prime minister for the country due to ongoing political disputes.
