Bafel Talabani refuses to give up control of natural gas, criticizes KRG handling of salaries

Peregraf

During the election campaign of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Koya, Bafel Talabani expressed his strong opposition to the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) privately managed My Account (Hazhmari Mn) initiative for electronic salary payments, urging the public to refrain from participating in the program. Furthermore, he asserted that he would never surrender the natural gas resources of Chamchamal.

The PUK leader stated, "I will never hand over natural gas to them," referring to KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). He emphasized that these resources belong to the nation and should not be appropriated for personal gain. He stressed that the harmful policies previously used for oil management should not be repeated in the handling of gas.

Talabani, who frequently reiterated the slogan "We will put an end to it and it can be done by us," criticized the KRG-led My Account initiative for salary distribution, declaring, "It is neither my account nor yours. It is Masrour's account. Let us be truthful. They intend to take your money and exploit you and suck your blood."

He further advised, "Masrour's account is of no benefit to us; do not engage with it. Instead, pursue the Iraqi government’s banking initiative, Tawteen (localization)."

In response to Peshawa Hawramani, the spokesman for the KRG, who had previously dismissed Talabani's challenge for a debate with Masrour Barzani by suggesting that Barzani might shake Talabani's hand if he visited Erbil, Talabani retorted, "Hey camel, this will not earn you affection. Arrogance will not make you beloved. I know Mr. Masrour is not a coward. Let us debate which of our programs is more beneficial for Kurdistan."

Bafel Talabani referred to the Khor Mor field when discussing natural gas, as it represents the largest gas field in the Kurdistan Region. This field is crucial for supplying natural gas to power plants located in Erbil, Chamchamal, and Bazian, serving as a primary source of electricity generation.

Dana Gas, a company from the UAE, operates the Khor Mor field. Over the past two years, the field has experienced multiple attacks involving missiles and drones. The most recent incident occurred on April 26, 2024, when two drones targeted the field, resulting in the deaths of four Yemeni workers.

Iraq is increasingly looking to the Khor Mor gas field to reduce its dependence on Iranian gas, particularly in light of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Concurrently, Turkey, which maintains strong relations with the KDP regarding oil and gas matters, is interested in gas from this field. This topic was discussed during a meeting between Nechirvan Barzani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara last year.

To facilitate the transportation and export of natural gas from the Khor Mor field to Turkey, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Natural Resources has initiated a project to construct a gas pipeline. This development has raised concerns among the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which has expressed open opposition to the project.

In an interview with Iraq Oil Report two years ago, Bafel Talabani, the PUK leader, emphasized the existing differences between the PUK and KDP in the energy sector, particularly regarding coordination with Baghdad. This was especially relevant following the Federal Court's decision in February 2022 to annul the oil and gas law, which mandated the transfer of oil management to Baghdad.

Talabani explicitly articulated the PUK's disagreements with the KDP concerning the Khor Mor natural gas pipeline project, which was awarded to the KDP-affiliated Kar Group. The PUK leader opposed this project, asserting that it was granted without a competitive tendering process.