KRG Demands Inclusion in Baghdad-BP Kirkuk Oil Deal Talks
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KRG Demands Inclusion in Baghdad-BP Kirkuk Oil Deal Talks

ERBIL — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani urged the inclusion of Erbil in negotiations over a major oil development deal between Baghdad and British Petroleum (BP), highlighting constitutional concerns and the disputed status of Kirkuk’s oil fields.  

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, PM Barzani emphasized, “The area under discussion is disputed territory. According to the constitution, decisions about such areas cannot be made unilaterally by Erbil or Baghdad.”  

He clarified that while the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is not opposed to development, it objects to the mechanism of the agreement. This comes after Iraq and BP signed a memorandum of understanding to redevelop four Kirkuk oil fields, with a formal multi-billion dollar agreement expected next month.  

The KRG previously warned that the deal violates Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which outlines steps to resolve disputes in areas claimed by both the federal and regional governments, including oil-rich Kirkuk. The article remains unimplemented, compounding the tensions over resource management.  

Kirkuk’s fields, operated by the state-run North Oil Company, were previously under Kurdish Peshmerga control until the Iraqi federal government regained control in 2017.  

Oil exports via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline have been suspended since March 2023 due to a court ruling against Turkey, leaving the KRG’s energy sector in limbo. PM Barzani expressed frustration over recent unexpected changes to Iraq’s oil cost agreement, which could further delay export resumption.  

“The KRG’s participation is vital to ensure constitutional adherence and equitable resource management in Kirkuk and other disputed territories,” he emphasized, reiterating calls for inclusive dialogue on the issue.

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