First Kurdistan delegation arrives in Baghdad to discuss the oil file

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Ministry of oil revealed that it had received the first delegation from the Kurdistan Region to discuss the oil file.

On February 15, the Federal Supreme court decision stated that the KRG must hand over all crude from the Kurdistan Region and neighboring areas to the federal government, represented by the oil ministry in Baghdad.

The ruling declared KRG oil contracts with oil companies, foreign parties, and states invalid. This includes exploration, extraction, export, and sale agreements, according to the document.

The Ministry said in a statement that it will hold the first meeting between the federal oil ministry and a senior delegation from the Kurdistan Region, in Baghdad today, to discuss the steps that follow the Federal Court's decision, and to set new mechanisms to manage the oil file.

Baghdad says SOMO is the only party eligible to sell Iraqi oil. In fact, the oil and gas law is a controversial file between Baghdad and Erbil.

The Federal government used to pay about 380 million dollars to Erbil (as employees' salaries) but stopped doing so after the independence referendum, and Baghdad's claim that the region is not handing over the agreed-upon quantity of oil.

After many rounds of talks, the Kurdistan Region was forced to hand over 250,000 oil barrels per day, to SOMO, in addition to its oil revenues to Baghdad.