The Iraqi Prime Minister held a meeting with Masoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Baghdad, for the first time after six years on Wednesday.

This marked Barzani's first visit to the Iraqi capital in six years amid improving relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq and the federal government in Baghdad.

Mohammed Shia al-Sudan al-Sudani called the Barzani’s visit to Baghdad "important."

"We have come an important way in building confidence between the federal and regional governments, and we have overcome inherited problems. The regional situation and its developments were present in the meeting," al-Sudani said.

He said they emphasized that Iraq’s sovereignty and security "should be kept away from the arena of conflict, and its positions on just issues should be maintained."

Barzani, for his part, called his talks with the Iraqi premier "constructive."

"Our views were identical," he added.

According to Iraqi media, Barzani discussed with Iraqi officials a host of issues, including the KRG region’s financial allocations, employee salaries, the oil and gas law, and the situation in Kirkuk province, where the local government has yet to be elected over six months after elections.