The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) negotiation team on Thursday briefed diplomats on their discussions with the Iraqi government on the federal budget, the resumption of oil exports, and Baghdad’s delayed budget payments to the Kurdistan Region.

KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani in a post on X stated that at the meeting the KRG’s message was clear: issues must be resolved at their root. “The federal government should not, under any pretext, withhold the salaries of Kurdistan’s civil servants.”

With KRG negotiating team with Baghdad, we convened a comprehensive meeting with diplomatic missions in KRI—delivering a clear update on the status of our negotiations with the federal government, focusing on the budget, resumption of oil exports & financial rights of our people. pic.twitter.com/IcUSzxVYXa

— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) January 16, 2025

“We seek a lasting solution and have opened all doors to achieve this, emphasizing the constitution as the foundation for resolving disputes. However, the repetition of past scenarios is unacceptable. A large portion of the Kurdistan Region’s population relies on salaries as their primary livelihood, and the policy of financial pressure must come to an end.”

On January 11, 2025, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired an extraordinary meeting of the KRG Council of Ministers to discuss Baghdad’s delayed budget payments to the Kurdistan Region.

Read More: Baghdad’s Actions Toward Kurdistan Are Unjust: PM Barzani

“We have concluded that Baghdad’s current behavior toward the Kurdistan Region is oppressive, unjust, and unacceptable,” Prime Minister Barzani said.

“We must rectify the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad. We have a constitution, and we must adhere to it.”