.jpg)
KT News
Nechirvan Barzani
A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation led by prime minister Nechirvan Barzani has gone to Baghdad today to discuss the budget crisis and oil dispute.
This week the Iraq central government, led by prime minister Nuri Maliki, took steps to counter the developing oil links between the KRG and Turkey. Iraqi Kurdish ministers walked out of a central government cabinet session on Wednesday after Iraq’s 2014 budget was revealed, setting the Kurdish region’s export target at 400,000 barrels per day, which the Kurds said was unrealistically high. Baghdad has also threatened to ‘punish’ Turkey – by boycotting Turkish firms and cancelling contracts with Turkish businesses – in retaliation for reports that the KRG is planning its first delivery of crude oil to Turkey via its own pipeline and without central government permission.
The federal budget would entail cuts to the KRG’s 17 percent share of state revenues if the oil target is not met
Hamid Bafi, a Kurdistan Alliance MP in the Iraq parliament, issued a statement yesterday condemning Baghdad and arguing that the “Kurdistan region’s leadership, parliament and its government need to reconsider its relationship with Baghdad and take a decisive stand to maintain the dignity of the people of Kurdistan and maintain their rights and their freedoms.”
Those beasts of Sharistani and al-Maliki. the only thing they know is genuine, pristine arabian wasta
Today they threaten to cut off our budget. Tomorrow they will try to re-occupy our Hawler back and resettle Baathists there once again. No use trying to work with Baghdad since day one. When will Kurdish leadership grasp this reality? The moment they are empowered, they will continue to marginalize the Kurds worse than even ex- dictator Saddam. Dictator Al-maliki does not have much time left in power, as well if he does not seek 3rd term. Diplomacy is the best way to solve differences but we must always have contingency plans prepared which we do not. Apparently, there is machination to undermine KRG and Kurds in general again, especially now that the Iranian peace treaty is entering its final implementation stages. We missed another golden opportunity in history due to lack of national unity. Time is limited. Perhaps the one best last option we have now is by unilaterally proclaiming our independence in order to change the state of affairs in our favor.