The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Erbil and Baghdad, paving the way for the payment of salaries for May to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) employees, according to a Channel8 correspondent.

Channel8 learned on July 16 that the Iraqi Cabinet would hold an extraordinary meeting on July 17 to discuss salary disbursements and oil exports for the Kurdistan Region.

An adviser to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, speaking to Channel8 on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the meeting would be held on Thursday afternoon, July 17.

The adviser stated that following the new understanding reached between Erbil and Baghdad, only the Council of Ministers’ formal approval remained for the agreement to take effect.

Earlier, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) President Bafel Jalal Talabani arrived in Baghdad and held talks with Prime Minister al-Sudani on key national issues, including revenue transfers and salary payments.

Subsequently, the KRG Council of Ministers approved the new understanding, which stipulates that the Kurdistan Region will hand over 230,000 barrels of oil daily and 120 billion dinars monthly from non-oil revenues to the federal government.

In return, Baghdad will disburse salaries to KRG employees, who have not received payments for over 70 days.