Kurdish PM says talks with Baghdad "open and positive"

Shafaq News/ Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Monday that discussions between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government of Iraq have been progressing with "openness and positivity", hoping that the outcomes will benefit the people of the Kurdistan region.

Barzani’s remarks came during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Government's media office.

“The talks are proceeding with full openness and positivity,” Barzani said. “We hope the results will benefit the citizens of the region.”

The meeting touched on the preparations for the upcoming Kurdistan parliamentary elections, the statement added. Barzani emphasized the need for the elections to be held in a “secure and fair environment,” ensuring that they are conducted transparently under international monitoring.

“It is essential that the elections are free from violations, and that they ensure integrity and transparency,” Barzani said.

Relations between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government in Baghdad were also discussed. Barzani underscored the importance of the ongoing federal economic ministerial meetings in Erbil as part of strengthening ties between both sides.