Masoud Barzani, outgoing German envoy call for stronger ties, renewed partnership with Baghdad
Banned chemicals threaten Kurdistan Region's fishery amid limited oversight
Sulaimani industrial complex blaze burns several warehouses
Four youths drown in Duhok
Man claims detention at Iraqi checkpoint for possessing Kurdish books
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani on Monday called for renewed partnership and balance with Baghdad during a farewell meeting with outgoing German Ambassador to Iraq Christiane Hohmann, who reaffirmed Berlin and the EU's support for the Kurdistan Region's constitutional status.
Barzani 'thanked Germany and the European Union for supporting the constitutional status of the Kurdistan Region,' his office said in a statement. On relations with Baghdad, he stressed that returning to the principles of consensus, balance and partnership remains the best solution.
'We have not demanded anything more than the constitutional framework, but we are not satisfied with less than what the constitution has granted to the people and the Kurdistan Region,' he added.
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have escalated since late May, when Iraq's federal finance ministry froze budget transfers, accusing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of exceeding its 12.67 percent share of federal funds and failing to deliver oil to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). The suspension has impacted salaries for more than 1.2 million public sector employees in the Region.
Barzani and Hohmann also discussed the delayed formation of the new KRG cabinet. Despite parliamentary elections last October, the legislature has convened only once since, as the KDP and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) remain deadlocked over key posts.
Barzani voiced hope that a new cabinet could be formed before Iraq's general elections in November, a view echoed last month by senior PUK member Saadi Ahmed Pira in an interview with Rudaw's Zana Kayani.
Hohmann, for her part, praised Barzani's leadership and reiterated Germany's and Europe's commitment to supporting the Kurdistan Region's constitutional rights. She noted that the large number of consulates in Erbil reflects international recognition of the Region's status, which should be protected and upheld.
She also highlighted the Kurdistan Region's progress in economic infrastructure, peace and stability, expressing hope that similar development could reach other parts of Iraq. Barzani likewise said the Region's advances in services - particularly in water and electricity - could serve as a model for improving living conditions across the country.
The Kurdistan Region's electricity ministry announced last week that over 2,500 generators have been decommissioned as part of efforts to expand 24-hour power supply to nearly three million residents. Meanwhile, Erbil is preparing to launch a major wastewater recycling project aimed at protecting groundwater and boosting agriculture once tendering is complete.
Germany continues to maintain military bases in both Baghdad and Erbil, supporting Iraqi and Kurdish forces as part of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, which was established in 2014 after the extremist group captured swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
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