Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday called for political agreements between Erbil and Baghdad on oil, salaries and the Region’s share of the federal budget to be implemented within Iraq’s constitutional framework.

Speaking at the opening of the Slemani Summit on economic development and investment, Barzani said the objective was “neither for Erbil to dominate Baghdad nor Baghdad to dominate Erbil,” but for “Iraq, the constitution and the state to prevail.”

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“We must ask ourselves across Iraq today: Has the constitution we agreed upon been implemented?” he said. “The answer is no. It has not been implemented fully or in its entirety.”

Barzani said the constitution was “neither a Kurdish demand nor a privilege for the Kurdistan Region,” describing it as a national compact that protects the rights of all Iraqis.

He argued that full implementation would strengthen confidence in the state and ensure disputes are settled through constitutional institutions rather than force.

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“The federal system is a source of strength for Iraq,” Barzani said, adding that proper implementation could strengthen the country’s regional standing. “The constitution is the key to resolving Iraq’s crises.”

He described the Kurdistan Region as part of federal Iraq and Baghdad as essential to the Region’s security and stability, adding that a strong Kurdistan Region should likewise be viewed as a source of strength for Iraq.

Barzani said longstanding disputes between Erbil and Baghdad could not remain unresolved, calling for continued dialogue under the constitution.