Many pressing unresolved issues have remained between the federal government of Iraq and Kurdistan region.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said today, in a press conference that, the constitution shall be the base for addressing the issues between the Kurdistan region and Baghdad in regards to hydrocarbon reserves and federal spending. The “eternal constitution” could serve to solve the troubles and help reach a deal that satisfies both ends, al-Sudani added.
The seventh Iraqi PM after the fall of Saddam Hussein is not the first premier to work on stabilizing Baghdad-Erbil relations, although the task is difficult as it has gone through episodes of tumult and even short military clashes in 2017.
The PM also noted that before the parliament could moot the oil and gas bill in the House, Erbil and Baghdad shall come to an understanding on the issue. Years of talks between the Erbil and Baghdad had not yielded substantial
Since the drafting of the 2005 Iraqi constitution many gaps between the federal government and Erbil have developed. The most pressing disputes are Kurdistan region’s budget share in Baghdad and Erbil’s handling of the region’s hydrocarbon reserves.