Iraqi government spokesperson Basem al-Awadi said the government requires 69 trillion Iraqi dinars to cover the salaries of public sector employees.

During a program on the official Iraqi channel, Al-Awadi said that the Iraqi Council of Ministers would approve the budget schedules within the next two weeks and submit it to the Council of Representatives, emphasizing that "salaries are fully insured."

He said that the Ministry of Finance will start funding the provinces on Sunday.

Al-Awadi also mentioned that the fourth round of meetings of the Iraqi-US committee on the fate of coalition forces is set to resume next week.

"Our relations with the US Treasury Department continue, and we are trying to enhance the operations of banks in Iraq," he added.