Iraqi Kurdish leader visits Baghdad after 6-year hiatus

ISTANBUL

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met with Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, in Baghdad on Wednesday.

This marked Barzani's first visit to the Iraqi capital in six years amid improving relations between the Kurdish region in northern Iraq and the federal government in Baghdad.

Al-Sudani termed the Kurdish leader’s visit to Baghdad as “important.”

"We have come an important way in building confidence between the federal and regional governments, and we have overcome inherited problems. The regional situation and its developments were present in the meeting,” al-Sudani said.

He said they emphasized that Iraq’s sovereignty and security “should be kept away from the arena of conflict, and its positions on just issues should be maintained.”

Barzani, for his part, called his talks with the Iraqi premier “constructive.”

“Our views were identical,” he added.

According to Iraqi media, Barzani discussed with Iraqi officials a host of issues, including the Kurdish region’s financial allocations, employee salaries, the oil and gas law, and the situation in Kirkuk province, where the local government has yet to be elected over six months after elections.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio