ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Erbil and Baghdad reached a preliminary agreement on production and distribution of oil from the Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi government on Monday after meetings between Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad. They also discussed the war with Islamic State, the Mosul offensive, and the political climate in the country.





“Nechirvan Barzani and Haider al-Abadi reached an agreement for technical talks between the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s oil ministries about production and distribution of oil from the Kurdistan and Kirkuk oilfields,” read a statement issued by Abadi’s office.





“To reach a solution about exporting the Kurdistan Region’s oil through the Iraqi government, Abadi reiterated increasing consultation with the KRG,” the statement continued. “In return for the export of oil by the KRG via Baghdad, the Iraqi government, through a mutual agreement, will give the deserved financial share to the KRG in a transparent mechanism.”





Barzani arrived in Baghdad on Monday, where he met with Abadi and other top officials.



Speaking prior to the meetings, KRG spokesperson Safeen Dizayee said that “security, the liberation of Mosul, future relations between Baghdad and Erbil and other relevant topics” would be discussed during what he described as a routine visit. Abadi expressed his “happiness for the KRG delegation’s visit to Baghdad,” according to the statement from his office.





“In meetings between both sides,” the statement continued, “the fight against Islamic State (ISIS) was discussed. And Nechirvan Barzani congratulated the victories of the Iraqi forces, wishing for the ultimate liberation of all areas held by the terrorist group.”





Several critical issues between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have forced the Kurdish leadership to resume talks with Baghdad, especially on oil, the Kurdish national budget share, which has been held up by Baghdad since 2014, and other topics related to the fight against ISIS.



On August 22, a high-level Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) delegation head by Mullah Bakhtyar arrived in Baghdad.





Bakhtyar revealed that their visit to Baghdad was timely and “important” because they were able to discuss a range of critical issues that have remained unsolved between the central government and Erbil.





“The visit by the PUK delegation to Baghdad was important,” he said. “To resolve constitutional, economic and political issues we have to return to Baghdad and there we should announce our goals.”





He also claimed that the delegation did not make any specific calls for the party’s interest but rather represented the government’s interests.





“Our calls were to resolve the budget and salaries of the Kurdistan Region, as well as other problems,” he said.





One of the pending issues is oil. Bakhtyar stated that “Baghdad is ready to resume talks with Erbil to resolve oil issues between both sides.”