The federal Iraqi government has proposed the establishment of a new oil company that will be managed jointly by Baghdad and Erbil to operate crude oil production and exports from the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, Iraqi media have reported . The proposal is part of ongoing talks between the central Iraqi government and the Kurdish government aimed at mending bilateral relations after an ill-fated independence referendum for the region a few years ago. The referendum saw Iraqi troops return to mostly self-government Kurdistan and regain control of oil fields in the region. Kurdistan, in northern Iraq, is home to some of the country’s most prolific oil fields. “Positive understandings between the central government and the Kurdistan Region regarding the production and export of oil produced in the fields of the latter have been reached,” said Iraqi oil minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar. He added that “The ongoing talks between Baghdad […]