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Barzani's Goodwill Baghdad Tour

Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, met with Baghdad's key political leaders in an attempt to generate consensus and compromise.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (R) meets with Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani (L) in Baghdad, July 7, 2013.  Barzani visited Baghdad on Sunday for the first time in more than two years, in a symbolic step to resolve disputes between the central government and the autonomous region over land and oil. The visit follows an equally rare trip by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki who met Barzani in Kurdistan last month, breaking ice between leaders who have repeatedly accused each other of violating
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Kurdistan Region of Iraq President Massoud Barzani's visit to Baghdad on July 7 carries many connotations. It also reflects an Iraqi environment favorable to dialogue, not only to resolve the problems between Erbil and Baghdad, but also to address the ongoing Iraqi crises at various levels.

Barzani’s visit to Baghdad sought to end the rift between the central government and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and to set out principles that can be invoked to resolve the problems between the two sides. It also firmly established a concept that seemed absent over the past three years, which is the spirit of initiative among Iraqi leaders.

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