A high-level Iraqi government delegation of oil, education, health and agriculture officials arrived in Erbil on Wednesday (12 July), reportedly to discuss a range of issues among them energy and water resources.
Rudaw has learnt that a major topic of discussion between the Iraqi delegation and Erbil is the installation of a new refinery in Kirkuk and the question of oil exports from the city.
The delegation is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and other officials from the Kurdistan Region.
Rudaw's Sangar Abdulrahman reported from the Erbil International Airport that delegation is headed by Abduljabbar al-Luaibi, Iraq's oil minister. Deputies from the ministries of electricity, agriculture, education and finance are among the delegates.
This is the first official visit by Iraqi government officials to Erbil since the Kurdistan Region announced last month that it would hold a referendum on independence in late September, a move that has received strong opposition by Baghdad.
The visit by the Iraqi government delegation is said to be upon the request of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
Rudaw
12 July
