Baghdad to send delegation to Erbil for talks on airports, border crossings
A high-level delegation from the United States on met with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani in Erbil.
In remarks to DPA, Talar Faeq said a delegation from Baghdad will visit Erbil on Monday to resume talks over the border crossings as well as Erbil and Sulaimaniyah airports.
Faeq indicated that the talks between Kurdistan and Iraqi government on Saturday yielded good outcome and that the meeting on Monday will decide about Kurdistan’s airports and border crossings.
Iraqi government suspended flights to Erbil and Sulaimaniya starting September 29, after Kurdistan held its independence referendum. Only daily flights were allowed to Baghdad airport.
Iraqi government forces approached the southern borders of Erbil, capital of semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, after taking over Kirkuk province from Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in October, fulfilling instructions made by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to retake areas where sovereignty is disputed with Kurdistan.
Earlier this month, news reports said each of Baghdad and Erbil will launch negotiations to be sponsored by Iraqi President Fuad Masum and western diplomats to tackle three issues. Iraqi sources were quoted as saying that the dialogue between the federal government and Kurdish officials will start by the beginning of the new year under United Nations sponsorship.