Kurdistan President
Regrets Delegation's Unsuccessful Visit To Baghdad
Sulaimani, Dec 24, (VOI) – Iraq's Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani on Monday
expressed his regret for the return of a Kurdish delegation from Baghdad without
achieving much success in negotiations with the central government.
"Sadly, the Kurdish delegation returned without achieving any results," Barzani
said during a joint press conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and his
Sunni Deputy Tareq Hashemi in Dukan Resort, Sulaimani.
One week ago, a Kurdish delegation led by Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechirvan
Barzani was sent to the Iraqi capital Baghdad to discuss with high-ranking
officials from the central government several controversial issues, including
the status of oil-rich Kirkuk, the allocated budget for the region and the
contracts signed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and foreign oil
companies.
When asked about his alleged refusal to meet with U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice who visited the Iraqi capital a few days ago, Barzani said that
it was impossible to fly to Baghdad while Kurdish villages were being bombed by
Turkish artillery.
"There is no tension in U.S.-Kurdish relations," Barzani said, adding, "The U.S.
response was clear. They were not at all content with the Turkish shelling."
