Baghdad: MP Zirak Zebari, a member of the negotiating delegation, confirmed on Monday that negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil are ongoing to resolve outstanding issues, noting that Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi is determined to settle the disputes between the two sides.

According to Iraqi News Agency, Zebari stated that the meeting between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was productive, with negotiations set to continue addressing unresolved matters. He emphasized that the meeting was focused on identifying points of contention, particularly concerning the budget, salaries of regional government employees, and Peshmerga forces’ salaries.

Zebari explained that the delegation insisted on aligning Peshmerga salaries with those of the Ministry of Defense and Popular Mobilization Forces, advocating for a dedicated budget independent of actual expenditure calculations. He highlighted non-oil revenues as another point of dispute, with the federal government demanding the handover of all revenues, while the regional government faces challenges in doing so due to its own financial needs.

Zebari acknowledged the positive cooperation between the federal government and the KRG, expressing optimism that the disputes will be resolved during Prime Minister Al-Zaidi’s government. He noted that the Prime Minister emphasizes the importance of resolving outstanding issues between Baghdad and Erbil and is committed to closing the file on these disputes.