US backs Iraqi progress on budget deal with Kurdistan Region
The Trump administration says it supports Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's progress so far in working out a budget agreement with the Kurdistan Region.
The Trump administration is backing Iraqi Prime MInister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's efforts to urgently conclude a budget deal with Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
"I urged Baghdad to clinch a budget deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking at a press conference Aug. 20 following a meeting in Washington with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein.
Iraq's Ministry of Finance announced Aug. 17 that Baghdad and Erbil had reached an agreement on some of the long-standing disputes between Baghdad and Erbil over the latter's share of the federal budget.
According to the terms so far, Baghdad will pay 320 billion dinars ($268 million) to Erbil monthly as a goodwill gesture, and Erbil in return promises to continue the ongoing negotiations with Baghdad over oil exports from the Kurdistan regional territory and to hand over control of the border crossings to Baghdad.
