ERBIL (Kurdistan Chronicle) — The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has sent a high-ranking delegation to visit Baghdad on Sunday with the hope of finalizing the draft of the Federal Oil and Gas Bill, according to an official. 

This visit will be an extension of the talks that the KRG delegation held with Iraqi counterparts over the past few weeks. In February, Erbil announced that it had reached an agreement with Baghdad to form a joint committee to draft the federal oil and gas bill, as required by the Constitution of Iraq.

The KRG representative to Baghdad confirmed the planned visit and revealed that the Kurdish delegation will meet with counterparts at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. 

The passage of an oil and gas law is hoped to address the many prolonged disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, ultimately helping the sides work towards an energy sector that is independent from other countries.

Disputes over oil exports by the Kurdistan Region further deepened after Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court deemed it unconstitutional in February 2022 and called for the Iraqi Federal Government to have full control over Kurdistan Region’s oilfields. 

However, the Kurds condemned the ruling and called it a “politically motivated decision” that harms the relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

Following the latest visit, US Ambassador Alina Romanowski welcomed the progress in the talks and wrote on Twitter: “Encouraging successful visit by the Kurdistan Regional Government delegation to Baghdad for talks with the Iraqi government on budget and hydrocarbons.” 

“Resolution of these long-standing issues serves the Iraqi national interest and contributes to energy independence and regional stability,” she added.