Iraqi PM meets PUK Head: Salary and oil top agenda
Shafaq News – Baghdad/Erbil
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met, on Tuesday, with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Head Bafel Talabani to address stalled negotiations between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region.
According to the PM’s Media Office, discussions centered on the transfer of oil and non-oil revenues from the Region to the federal treasury and resolving the ongoing salary crisis—affecting over 1.5 million civil servants—with both parties reaffirming their commitment to constitutional procedures and the relevant Federal Supreme Court rulings.
The meeting also addressed preparations for Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 11.
Earlier today, a source told Shafaq News that Talabani arrived in Baghdad at the head of a senior PUK delegation seeking to revive dialogue. The source confirmed that Baghdad has tentatively agreed to disburse May 2025 salaries—one of two months still outstanding.
This is the second senior Kurdish visit to Baghdad in two weeks, following a July 7 mission by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials. Analysts warn that the unresolved salary dispute has intensified doubts about the durability of Iraq’s federal framework in the lead-up to the elections.
