Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Prime Minister Barham Salih Two delegations representing Iraq's autonomous region of Kurdistan have arrived Monday in Baghdad for talks with the Iraqi central government over suspended issues mainly relating to oil production. The first delegation represents the autonomous government of Kurdistan. The delegation is chaired by Emad Ahmad, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdish government. The second delegation represents the Kurdish opposition, and is led by Birham Saleh, Deputy of the Secretary General of the Kurdish National Union.
The arrival of the two delegations was criticised by some Iraqi officials who said this issue is expected to baffle the talks.
"Holding talks with two different delegations on the same issues could embarrass the central government officials and could also baffle the talks," Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ruz Nuri Shawis said in a press release on Monday.
However, Shawis affirmed that Prime Minister Nuri Maliki and the ministers of finance and economic planning will meet the two delegations on Monday.
Tension has been escalating over the last few months between the autonomous government of Iraq's Kurdistan and the central government of the country. This is due to disputes over Kurdistan's share in the national budget and oil contracts signed by the autonomous government with foreign companies which the central government said "were illegal and out of the powers handed to the autonomous government according to the constitution."