UN envoy welcomes deal between Iraqi, Kurdish region on oil, finances

The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) welcomed today an agreement reached between the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve issues related to oil exports and the budget.

Nickolay Mladenov commended the Iraqi Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for their “leadership and spirit of compromise” and stressed the importance of “direct and frank dialogue” in forging agreements that serve the interests of Iraq and the Iraqi people.

“I look forward for the implementation of the agreement as swiftly as possible, including oil exports from the KR-I and Kirkuk, as well as the disbursement of the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) budget from the Iraqi general budget, and the payment of Peshmergas’ salaries,” Mr. Mladenov said.

He urged all Iraqi leaders to continue showing the same sense of unity and compromise as they sought to address other urgent priorities, “including the adoption of the Federal budget for 2015, as well as other crucial legislation, and to work towards national reconciliation and restoration of confidence among Iraq’s communities.”