Parliamentary power: Kurds did not provide a convincing justification for non-commitment to pay oil money

[The Englishman]

Resolving Article 140: Settling the Issue of Iraq’s Disputed Territories

7/13/2017 10:53:00 AM

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Megan Connelly, Matthew Barber

 

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Resolving Article 140: Settling the Issue of Iraq's Disputed Territories Ahead of an Independence Referendum for Kurdistan

 

Contested Lands

Last month, talks led by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) at the presidential residence, Seri Resh, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) led to a decision to hold a referendum this September on Kurdistani independence. Though the obvious assumption would be that only residents of the area seeking independence (i.e., the Kurdistan Region) would be able to vote on a decision to secede from Iraq, this referendum is being presented as a vote in which residents of Iraq’s disputed territories will also participate.

The disputed territories are areas in Iraq over which both the Iraqi Federal Government (IFG–based in Baghdad) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG–based in Erbil) claim administrative rights. Currently, the Kurdistan Region is an autonomous jurisdictional entity that is part of a federal Iraq but which has its own government, armed forces, immigration laws, administrative bureaucracies, and so forth. Prior to any discussion of potential independence for the Kurdistan Region, it should be understood that the disputed territories are parts of the Nineveh, Salah ad-Din, Kirkuk, and Diyala governorates over which the respective governments of Baghdad and Erbil have been locked in conflict since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Even if the KRI was to not seek independence, the status of each disputed territory as a domain of the Federal Government or the Regional Government must be resolved. Kurdistani independence, therefore, involves more than the question of whether the inhabitants of the KRI desire independence; it also requires determining which disputed territories (all of which are outside of the official boundaries of the KRI) would be included in the KRI, and ultimately within the new independent state.

For years, the disputed territories have been exploited for their deposits of oil and natural gas, but have often been neglected amid a state of political and administrative limbo between Baghdad and Erbil. Many disputed territories have been under Kurdish military or administrative control following the US invasion of Iraq, even though services and infrastructure in many of these territories continue to be funded through the IFG budget. Now, as Kurdish security forces, Hashd al-Sha’bi, and other ethno-sectarian militias seek to consolidate their territorial gains with the liberation of the remaining Islamic State (IS) enclaves in the disputed territories, it is urgent the IFG and the KRG establish clear jurisdictional boundaries by peaceful means—to not do so could spell their eventual delineation in battle. Therefore, Erbil and Baghdad must revisit Article 140, the transitional provision of the Iraqi Constitution that mandates the normalization, census, and referendum processes that must occur to determine the future status of each disputed territory, individually. This will resolve whether the territories will become part of the KRI or will remain within the IFG’s system of governorates.

Why the Referendum Does Not Provide a Solution for the Disputed Territories

Acting KRG President Barzani has declared that the referendum will be a solution to the ongoing Article 140 dispute. But according to Hemin Hawrami, Senior Advisor to the acting president, the sole question that will be posed to voters in the referendum is: “Do you want an independent Kurdistan?”

No one disputes the fact that the vast majority of Kurds desire independence. One Kurdish researcher framed this observation as follows: “Kurdistan does not need a referendum because the history and geography and 100 years of struggle have answered this question for the whole world.” The referendum’s question, therefore, would seem almost superfluous for the KRI. But while the referendum’s proposed question may nevertheless be appropriate to direct at residents of the KRI, it is a premature question for inhabitants of the disputed territories. Whether or not voters want independence is not a relevant inquiry as regards the complex geographic, demographic, and political realities in the disputed territories, where the question that should be posed is: “Do you want your district to become a part of the Kurdistan Region?”

The idea that populations living outside of the Kurdistan Region could participate alongside residents of the KRI in a vote that would establish a basis for the statehood of a region whose future borders are not yet determined is simply confusing for Kurds, Iraqis, and outside observers alike. It is clear that at least two questions—not one—must be answered by separate groups of Iraqis.

Manipulating Patriotism

The phrasing of the referendum’s question is indicative of ethnic outbidding. By asking voters if they “want independence,” as opposed to inquiring, for example, as to whether voters approve of a parliamentary motion to declare independence, the KDP is playing a semantics game designed to force voters to deliver a “patriotic” or “unpatriotic” response, a tactic to rally broad nationalist support behind the KDP’s drive for political dominance while discrediting the domestic opposition by casting doubt on their supporters’ kurdayeti.

Beyond the realm of mere words, Kurdish authorities have already begun arresting dissenters and shutting down media centers that publish literature that “uses inappropriate language in connection with the referendum,” as well as harassing and assaulting journalists and writers who have expressed opposition to the referendum.

To garner support for the vote, the Kurdish nationalist parties—and the KDP in particular—have been aggressively fueling  Kurdish irredentist sentiments and issuing provocative statements, such as KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani’s affirmation that the “disputed territories are no longer disputed,” the acting president’sassertion that opposition to the referendum would be met with a “bloody war,” and a KDP MP’s call for the legal prosecution and punishment of the political opposition to the vote. Moreover, the KDP has linked issue of Kurdish statehood with that of Masoud Barzani’s continued leadership and his defiance of Parliament’s attempts to limit presidential power.  The alarming tone of this discourse rose to a crescendo this week when Barzani, before the European Parliament, accused opposition MPs of concocting an “attempted coupt d’etat”against him in Parliament prior to its dissolution by the KDP, and of being responsible for the deaths of children in the 2015 riots in the Sulaimaniyah Governorate.

Furthermore, the language of the referendum announcement itself does not acknowledge that disputed territories are “disputed,” instead referring to them as “Kurdish areas outside of the KRG’s administrative area.” This language does not recognize the presence of the very populations whose existence is the origin of the disputed territory dilemma: Arabs, Assyrian and Chaldean Christians, Turkoman, certain Yazidis who do not identify as Kurds, and others.

In addition to validating aggression against Kurdish domestic opposition, this kind of antagonistic, nationalist campaign will do nothing to assuage the fears and mistrust of minorities and non-Kurdish populations with competing claims to self-determination in the disputed areas. This could ultimately provoke violent reactions with armed sectarian and partisan militias, with their various regional sponsors poised to intervene.

Ahead of Referendum, Yazidis Targeted for Supporting Baghdad

In the last few years, observers have become increasingly familiar with how intimidation is employed to pressure minority populations of the disputed territories into political submission. Recent punitive measures against Yazidis who favor IFG rather than KRG administration for Shingal (Sinjar in Arabic) are a characteristic—and unsurprising—case in point.

A new Human Rights Watch report has this week exposed a tactic that the KDP asaish are using to deter Yazidis from aligning with Baghdad: expelling displaced Yazidi families from the IDP camps in Dohuk and evicting them from the KRI, if a family member joins the Baghdad-supported Hashd al-Sha’bi forces in Shingal. This tactic is unsurprising, as the KDP asaish already expelled (from the same camps in 2015-2016) displaced Yazidi families if a family member joined the PKK-affiliated YBŞ, a local Yazidi force in Shingal that challenges KDP hegemony.

The Yazidis of Shingal are a perfect example of the challenge of Iraq’s disputed territories. This population has long stymied KDP attempts to smoothly incorporate Shingal into the KRI. Yazidis are independently-minded, have repeatedly been victimized by external parties vying for control of their areas, and as a result are mixed as to whether they even identify as Kurds. Unlike Yazidis from villages inside the KRI, many Yazidis from Shingal resolutely identify only as “Yazidi,” maintaining that it is not only their religious affiliation but also their ethnic identity. The vast majority resent Kurdish politics and would prefer a quiet form of local governance. This hasn’t stopped the KDP from insisting that Shingal’s population wants to be included in the KRI, and they always have an array of token Yazidi mouthpieces ready to authenticate this claim.

The displacement of the majority of Shingal’s Yazidi population to the KRI during the Yazidi Genocide stirred fears among much of the community that they could be subjected to attempts to be resettled in the KRI rather than helped to return to Shingal and rebuild their lives. A KDP-enforced economic blockade of Shingal (implemented all of 2016 and early 2017) deliberately slowed the returns of Yazidi IDPs to Shingal. One motivation for this measure appears to have been to try to starve the YBŞ of resources and prevent a larger civilian support base for the YBŞ from growing in Shingal. Despite this measure to inhibit civilian returns, the KDP did not hesitate to evict families from the camps and return them to Shingal when their family members joined the YBŞ. Though many families wanted to return and rebuild in areas that had been freed from IS, other families were not yet ready to do so, and this punitive measure placed pressure on families to beg their young people to not join those forces.

For about two years, the KDP has branded the PKK affiliates as “foreign” entities, not acknowledging that their rank and file are comprised of local, Shingali Yazidis. The “foreign” argument is even less applicable to the Hashd al-Sha’bi: Yazidis are effectively being criminalized for the choice to work with their own federal government. Nevertheless, the asaish’s current expulsions follow the same pattern as the earlier YBŞ evictions: Though Yazidi families ultimately hope to return to a secure Shingal, many are not ready to leave the camps—for economic reasons as well as out of concern regarding the now three-way political standoff in Shingal. Targeting vulnerable families with forced evictions is therefore a powerful political deterrent.

Shingal is now divided by three political competitors, each having its own Yazidi militias on the ground: KDP-affiliated Peshmerga, PKK-affiliated YBŞ, and the Baghdad-affiliated Hashd al-Sha’bi. Two out of these three factions (with their associated civilian supporters) obviously do not favor inclusion into a KDP-dominated KRI. Most of Shingal’s Yazidis, therefore, do not oppose Kurdistani independence, but simply view it as none of their concern since they hope to administer Shingal locally and separately from the KRI. This should adequately illustrate how a single-question referendum on Kurdistani independence is entirely incapable of resolving disputed territory issues.

Practical Problems with Holding the Referendum in Disputed Territories

The proposed date of September 25, 2017 for the referendum initially gave the KRG less than four months to raise and allocate money, resources, and personnel to ensure that residents of the disputed territories would be represented. Facilitating the participation of people from the disputed territories will be extremely difficult, and quite costly, due to high rates of internal displacement. So far, only $6 million have been ear-marked for the referendum and the KRG can expect no financial support from its neighbors and international supporters, virtually all of whom have come out against the referendum. Even Turkey, one of the closest allies of the KDP,has spoken out strongly against the referendum. Additionally, none of the KRG’s international partners or the United Nations have thus far expressed a willingness to monitor the referendum. In fact, the United Nations recently issued a statement emphasizing that it “has no intention to be engaged in any way or form” in monitoring the independence referendum due to its commitments to the territorial integrity of Iraq. Therefore, aside from repeated assurances from Erbil that the process will be fair to ethno-religious minorities in the disputed territories, the KRI has not announced any plan to accommodate them or hold separate referenda on their preferences.

Rudaw has recently reported that as of yet, no preparations have been made for the referendum in Kirkuk, the most populated of all disputed territories. Typically, funding for elections would come from the Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC), but the Commission’s Kirkuk office has denied that it has a budget or a plan for the referendum. Since the referendum was initiated unilaterally, not through mutual discussion with Baghdad, the KRG cannot expect to receive support for the referendum from the IFG. The President of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, Rebwar Talabani, has proposed that Kirkuk prepare on its own for the referendum without relying on funding from the IHEC, but with just another two and a half months to prepare, there has been no consensus in the Provincial Council on how the referendum should be funded, or even regarding the legality of holding the referendum in the province.

Holding the vote for the people of Shingal could be even more difficult. Shingal’s Yazidis are now divided among the many thousands in the IDP camps of Dohuk; thousands more in IDP camps in Syria and Turkey; tens of thousands of recent migrants to Europe (most of whom would prefer to return to a secure Shingal); others who have migrated to Canada, the US, and Australia; IDPs in camps on Shingal Mountain administered by PKK-affiliated institutions; returnees to damaged/destroyed areas in KDP-administered areas north of Shingal; returnees to Yazidi villages south of Shingal now under the control of Hashd al-Sha’bi. What is the KRG’s plan to make sure that all of these people are able to freely and fairly vote in the referendum?

In a recent interview with Kirkuk Now, Mahama Khalil (appointed by the KDP to act as unelected mayor of the Shingal District) also said that no preparations had been made to conduct the vote in Shingal. In the interview, he also exhibits a certain confusion as to the proper legal channels through which to conduct the vote and stated defiantly that the PKK and Hashd al-Sha’bi will not be able to disrupt the freedom of Yazidis to vote in the referendum. But the real question should be: What will guarantee that the KDP does not apply pressure on the voters? If the KRG intends to facilitate the Shingali people’s free, democratic decision as to the future of their district, things are off to a bad start with their asaish already punishing and intimidating those who express a desire to see Shingal remain under Baghdad’s administration.

Opposition to the Referendum within the KRI

Beyond the anticipated debacle of trying to hold the referendum in the disputed territories, the Kurdish mainland may also temper the success of the referendum. Though the vast majority of Kurds support the principle of Kurdish independence, there is significant anxiety among many in the KRI as to whether this referendum is being pursued in the right way and for the right reasons.

Contrary to assertions that this referendum has the backing of a broad political coalition, this has not been the case. The June 7 meeting at Seri Resh that resulted in the decision to hold the referendum did not include Gorran or the Kurdistan Islamic Group. The Gorran-led political opposition regards the referendum as a vote on the legitimacy of the KDP’s monopolization of power, Masoud Barzani’s unilaterally extended presidency, and the abandonment of parliamentary democracy. Their sense is that the referendum would effectively make the KDP the vanguard of the nationalist movement and discredit the opposition, which insists upon institution-building or at least having working democratic institutions prior to statehood. Together, Gorran and the Kurdistan Islamic Group constitute 25% of Parliament. The Kurdistan Islamic Union has also announced its refusal to back the vote without parliamentary approval.

It is also unclear the degree to which the PUK supports the referendum. Despite the participation of PUK Leadership Council members in the Seri Resh conference on June 7^th, the issue of holding an independence referendum has divided the PUK. In general, the PUK supports the reactivation of Parliament prior to holding an independence referendum. However, while some have backed the KDP’s proposal to reactivate the legislature with the current Speaker, Dr. Yusuf Muhammad, for one session, thirty-four out of fifty-five PUK Leadership Council members  support not just reactivation, but “normalization”—i.e. Gorran’s argument that Parliament must be reactivated and remain active until the next parliamentary elections (with Dr. Yusuf as Speaker)—and oppose the nomination of a PUK delegate to the Referendum Committee prior to Parliament’s reactivation. KRG Vice-Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and Kirkuk Governor Najmaddin Karim’s attendance—in defiance of the wishes of the majority of the Leadership Council—at the Referendum Committee hearings and at the KRG’s delegation to the European Parliament this week (to garner support for the referendum) prompted outrage within the PUK politburo. Mahmoud Sangawi, a member of the Leadership Council and General Commander of the Germian Region, lashed out at Talabani and Karim: “They are not representatives of the PUK. They represent only themselves.”

Is the Referendum Actually Binding?

While acting President Masoud Barzani has promised that the referendum on independence would be “binding,”  Barzani and others, including KDP executive and former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, have qualified this by saying that independence will not be declared immediately after the vote, but rather that the vote would give the KRG a mandate to open independence negotiations with Baghdad.

In fact, it is doubtful that the KRI would benefit politically or financially from declaring independence. With a budget shortfall of over $25 billion, the KRI has had extreme difficulty paying public salaries and pensions, providing services, and maintaining infrastructure in its administrative areas. A declaration of independence would mean that the KRI would not only be responsible for providing salaries to KRI employees, but also for public servants that are currently paid by the IFG, as well as providing utilities, water, and other services to the disputed territories. The KRI’s Ministry of Natural Resources, along with the provinces of Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Salah ad-Din also have production-sharing agreements (PSAs) with the IFG to extract and market Kirkuk crude that provide for significant infrastructure development in the disputed territories, the salaries of KRI civil servants, and healthy dividends for KDP- and PUK-linked production and marketing firms and the KDP-led Ministry of Natural Resources.Moreover, the announcement on the referendum came less than two weeks after the KRG Central Bank announced that it agreed to be taken over by the Iraqi Central Bank and the Iraqi Oil Ministry announced plans to finance the construction of a new oil refinery in Kirkuk to the tune of $5 billion.

With all of the above in mind, it seems that participating parties in the Referendum Committee are more interested in gaining leverage against the IFG and their domestic political rivals, and in maximizing the political and financial gains of the KRI’s two dominant parties (the KDP and PUK).

Whether the KRG actually intends to declare independence or not, the referendum campaign itself could nevertheless stir violent tensions among the various populations and political factions contending for the disputed territories. The referendum’s lack of planning, preparation, legal definition, or multilateral participation sets a dangerous precedent and may also be perceived as anticlimactic by many Kurds who have long struggled for independence.

The Solution

To ensure the stability and security of Iraq and Kurdistan, both the Federal and Regional governments must revisit Article 140 and make a concerted effort to determine once and for all the status of the disputed territories. Of course, implementation will be even more difficult now than it was twelve years ago, mainly because demographic normalization (which must precede the execution of a census and referendum) has been disturbed by population displacements in the wake of the IS invasion. With so much at stake and so many competing territorial claims to evaluate and negotiate, it will be extremely difficult for two governments that doubt each other’s good faith to commit to this long and arduous process. Yet, continuing to avoid the Article 140 process, as the pressure continues to build on all sides, will yield severe consequences for both governments as well as for their international allies.

Most analysts agree that the international community, particularly the United Nations and the United States, must step up its involvement in order to help stabilize Iraq’s post-IS landscape and adopt a framework to address the challenges posed by the jurisdictional conflicts in the disputed territories. Currently, the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI)’s mandate is limited to humanitarian and diplomatic assistance at the request of the Government of Iraq. Furthermore, the mandate’s scope is overly-broad, expressing the UN’s intention to promote economic and institutional development throughout Iraq, but without any clear focus on addressing the territorial disputes between the KRG and the IFG. Therefore, the UN will need a mandate specifically tailored to the mediation of the Article 140 process that will provide for the necessary resources for resolving territorial and property disputes and completing the normalization (or de-Arabization) process, conducting censuses, and referenda.

More than simply revisiting Article 140, the mandate must also address the effects of civil war, population displacements, and genocide that have occurred since the passage of the Iraqi Constitution. It will be necessary to secure KRG and IFG cooperation to reconstruct and provide adequate services to recently liberated cities like Shingal and Jalawla. It should also bring community leaders, regional and federal officials together to respond to the requests of small, territorially concentrated ethnic minorities for local administrative autonomy. Finally, but most importantly, the mandate should include the deployment of armed peacekeepers to prevent the eruption of clashes that could sabotage progress on the diplomatic and humanitarian end. Indeed, research has shown that multi-faceted missions (those that include diplomatic, humanitarian, and security provisions) are more likely to have successful, long-term outcomes than missions with a purely humanitarian or security focus.[ii]

Although such a mission will depend on the KRG’s withdrawal of the present referendum proposal, independence for the KRI should not be off the table. Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi has even conceded that the Kurds have a right to self-determination, up to and including their own state. However, if the Kurdish parties truly intend to secede from Iraq, the UN and Iraq’s international partners should condition their support for the independence process on the KRG’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of territorial, energy, and water disputes with the IFG, as well as its observance of the Region’s own laws and the authority of its own legally established Regional decision-making bodies. For example, the UN should require that the KRG reactivate its Parliament, hold legislative and presidential elections, and encourage the passage of a motion in Parliament authorizing the formation of a high committee to plan an independence referendum before it agrees to monitor the vote. Likewise, by obtaining guarantees from the international community to support a future independence referendum that is conducted in accordance with the above conditions, Barzani could save face domestically while withdrawing the current referendum.

Although UN peacekeeping missions do not have a stellar success rate, this can be partly attributed to the difficulty of the missions that the UN accepts, the lack of willingness on the part of host nations to give the UN the flexibility it needs to succeed, and a lack of cooperation from regional and international partners. While resolving territorial disputes will invariably be a grueling process, a mission to carry out Article 140 can still succeed if domestic, regional, and international partners are committed to it. Of course, a UN peacekeeping mission would be a bitter pill to swallow for both Baghdad and Erbil. It will be costly, it will require a long-term commitment, and parties will have to accept compromises that they may perceive as sub-optimal. Ultimately, the value of peace for both sides will outweigh the value of the benefits that either side would expect to gain from continuing down the current path, which will inevitably lead to armed conflict, whether by design or miscalculation. The diplomatic efforts of Iraq’s neighbors and international partners, particularly the US, will be crucial in raising the IFG and KRI’s perceived costs of noncompliance (such as threatening a withdrawal of military or financial support from the KRG and/or IFG) and reducing their perceived costs of compromise by offering incentives for both to accept UN conditions. Additionally, US influence will be necessary to secure the resolution from the Security Council to authorize a multi-faceted peacekeeping mission in the disputed territories.

Conversely, the UN must obtain guarantees of cooperation from the potential regional spoilers Iran and Turkey, as well as the United States. This will also require mutual assurances and recognition that a peaceful resolution of the Article 140 disputes is the optimal outcome and that all parties will commit their resources to that end. However, with the Iranian-backed Hashd al- Sha’bi making gains along the Syrian border and the mobilization of Turkish armed forces in the KRI (as well as Turkish air strikes against PKK and YBŞ positions in Shingal), regional actors appear to be on a war footing in Iraq. So is the US. With a weakened Department of State, a newly-empowered Pentagon, and an Ambassador to the UN who recently bragged about cutting the peacekeeping budget by over half a billion dollars, hope of US support for peacemaking in Iraq may prove illusory as well.

[Spider]

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/25/world/after-the-war-no-electricity-but-kuwait-reopens-its-banks.html

 

Thanks @chris2028

[yota691]

envoy Trump: This is what I said to Ebadi and Barzani on a referendum of independence for Kurdistan

 

56 minutes ago

 

Twilight News / Brett Macgork US president's envoy to the international coalition in Iraq and Syria against Daesh on Friday renewed his country's position on the independence referendum scheduled to take place on 25 of the month of September in the territory, saying the time is not suitable for it. "

He said Macgork in a press statement, that last week we made consulted to the Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the President of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, on the referendum, and we told them we are not with the referendum in the month of September this year.

He added that according to the Iraqi constitution, this issue be resolved through dialogue, saying that the support way to hold the referendum in this hasty time especially as he imagined could lead to a state of instability.

He said he had Macgork our house is clearly that we support all parties to hold dialogues, noting that a delegation from Baghdad had recently visited Erbil has been discussed on several issues, and we believe that it is necessary to hold dialogues and agreements on the referendum.

The envoy said that the Trump organization Daesh is not over yet, which is in the south of the Kurdistan Region of Tal Afar and Hawija southwest of Kirkuk, adding that the process of liberalization Hawija will be very difficult, and will be involved by the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga.

He concluded by saying that Macgork so the timing is not appropriate to hold the referendum, pointing out that we have explained it clearly and now dialogues taking place in this field.

[yota691]

Presidency of the Kurdistan Region: Barzani will meet with the components of Kirkuk to discuss the referendum process

By Roudao 15 minutes ago

Massoud Al-Barazani

Roudao- Erbil 

announced the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region, the President of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, will meet with the components of Kirkuk to discuss the independence referendum scheduled for 25.09.2017. 

A spokesman for the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region, Omid morning, network Roudao media, said that " the President of the Kurdistan Region met with all the representatives of the clans of Nineveh on the referendum, and Sjtma as well as with the components of Kirkuk." 

The Arab tribes in Kirkuk, has indicated its support for any project in the national interest, calling to give further clarification on the referendum. 

For his part, said a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan leadership council, Circo Mirwais, said that after the advent of Daesh and hosting Arabs displaced by the Kurdistan Region changed the perception formed by the components of withholdings areas after the 2003 , which 

states that decide the political parties meeting of the Kurdistan province (except for the movement of change the Islamic group , which boycotted the meeting), held in 07/06/2017 , headed by Massoud Barzani, specify a date on 09/25/2017 for a referendum of independence.

[SnowGlobe7]

7 hours ago, Spider said:

I think, better Kurdish do it. At least it will put pressure to Baghdad implement article 140 and hcL real quick. Maybe. The real problem right now that Baghdad don't want to implement ANY agreement that they agreed in the first place. Now, even UN pushed Iraq to implement article 140 but they don't want to implement it. That's real problem not only for Kurdish but to all Iraqi citizens led to rise of ISIS in the first place. Will someone knock Iraqi politicians head up? Maybe then they do something about it. Just maybe.

 

Why not? Greed?

[yota691]

Saturday, July 15th 2017 21:36

 

 

Kurdish official: referendum, "Iraqi Kurdistan" negotiating tactic to put pressure on Baghdad

 

Tehran - (AFP): an official in the government of Iraqi Kurdistan said that the referendum on the independence of the province due to take place in September is a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Baghdad to fulfill its promises on energy and power - sharing files. 

Through Nazim Dabbagh, representing the government of the Kurdistan region of Iraq in Tehran, it fears Iraqi forces from attacking Kurdish positions after the completion of the liberation of Mosul from state regulation "Daesh". But he stressed that Iraq 's Kurds would prefer to remain part of Iraq, despite the call for a referendum on independence on 25 September. Dabbagh said in his office in the Iranian capital , "We are doing this to solve our problems in Iraq. So far, we have no intention of separation." "We do not feel that Iraq accepts us. For this reason, we seek to take advantage of appropriate opportunities, through diplomacy, parliament, and the people, in order to claim our rights. If they do not want to solve our problems . Our people ready to sacrifice." Dabbagh accused Baghdad of failing to honor its promises included in the main Iraqi constitution in 2005, including the solution of Kirkuk, a city on the border between the province of Kurdistan , which enjoys self - governing and the rest of Iraq. He said that Baghdad has not ratified the laws on oil and the financing of the Kurdish security forces known Balepeshmrkh revenues, despite its crucial role in the battle against "Daesh". Dabbagh said : "I think that some Iraqi leaders are still thinking of Baathist mentality , " referring to the party of former President Saddam Hussein. " I do not accept the other and always resort to the army to resolve the problems." Asked if he was concerned about the possibility of attacking the Iraqi army and the forces of the popular crowd for the Kurdistan region, "100% answered. That 's what I fear." The Kurds are aware of Iraq's 5 million people and their precarious, as surrounded by countries strongly oppose any move towards independence could encourage similar separatist moves in the Kurdish regions. Dabbagh said "We live in a closed geographical area surrounded by Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. If you wanted to , these countries can Thasrna". Iran maintains, which includes about 6 million Kurds, strong ties with the Iraqi Kurds but opposed the edge of the abyss to declare the referendum policy. The Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said , "Iran rejects whispers about a referendum aimed at the secession of part of Iraq." In turn, the Iraqi ambassador in Tehran Saturday considered the independence of Kurdistan "impossible" and a violation of the Iraqi constitution. The ambassador said Rajeh Sabir al - Moussawi told the Mehr News "If you grew up a Kurdish state Festuld dead. I hope that the Kurds behave brothers more wisely and not choose this dangerous path."

[yota691]

First Published: 2017-07-15

Kurdish referendum to put pressure on Baghdad, not detachable

Representative of the Iraqi Kurdistan in Iran fear 'hundred percent' attack Iraqi forces and the peshmerga, the popular crowd after the expulsion of jihadists from Mosul.

Middle East Online

Kurdish secession in the form of sacrifice! Tehran - said an official in the government of Iraqi Kurdistan that the referendum on the independence of the region scheduled to be held in September next is a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Baghdad to fulfill its promises on energy and power-sharing files. Through Nazim Dabbagh, representing the government of the Kurdistan region of Iraq in Tehran, it fears Iraqi forces from attacking Kurdish positions after the completion of the liberation of Mosul from the organization of the Islamic state. But he stressed that Iraq's Kurds would prefer to remain part of Iraq, despite the call for a referendum on independence on 25 September / September. Dabbagh said in his office in the Iranian capital, "We are doing this (referendum) to solve our problems in Iraq. So far, we have no intention of separation." "We do not feel that Iraq accepts us. For this reason, we seek to take advantage of appropriate opportunities, through diplomacy, parliament and the people, in order to claim our rights. If they do not want (the Iraqi authorities) to solve our problems. Our people ready to sacrifice." Dabbagh accused Baghdad of not fulfilling its promises listed in the main Iraqi constitution in 2005, including the solution of Kirkuk, a city on the border between the province of Kurdistan, which enjoys self-governing and the rest of Iraq. He said that Baghdad has not ratified the laws on oil and the financing of the Kurdish security forces known Balepeshmrkh revenues, despite its crucial role in the battle against the organization of the Islamic state. Dabbagh said: "I think that some Iraqi leaders are still thinking of Baathist mentality," referring to the party of the late President Saddam Hussein. "I do not accept the other and always resort to the army to resolve the problems." Asked if he was concerned about the possibility of attacking the Iraqi army and the forces of the Shiite province of Kurdistan popular crowd, "one hundred percent answered. That's what I fear." The Kurds are aware of Iraq's five million people and their precarious, as surrounded by countries strongly oppose any move towards independence could encourage similar separatist moves in the Kurdish regions. Dabbagh said "We live in a closed geographical area surrounded by Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. If these countries wanted could Thasrna". Iran maintains, which includes about six million Kurds, strong ties with the Iraqi Kurds but opposed the edge of the abyss to declare the referendum policy. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Eran said that "Iran rejects whispers about a referendum aimed at the secession of part of Iraq." In turn, the Iraqi ambassador in Tehran Saturday considered the independence of Kurdistan "impossible" and a violation of the Iraqi constitution. The ambassador said Rajeh Sabir al-Moussawi told the Mehr News "If you grew up a Kurdish state Festuld dead. I hope that the Kurds behave brothers more wisely and not choose this dangerous path."

[yota691]

Kurdish official: the referendum will be conducted in all areas under the control of the Peshmerga

 

Sunday July 16 2017 20:36

 

Alsumaria News / Arbil  confirmed the head of the "Kurdish areas outside the territory of the administration of Kurdistan " Nasreddin Cindy, Sunday, that those areas will witness a wide participation in the referendum secession, adding that the referendum will take place in all areas under the control of the Peshmerga forces, while stressing the need for issuing laws that guarantee the future and the rights of all the components of those areas for the success of the process further.  Cindy said in an interview for Alsumaria News, said that " the Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Regional Administration will see wide participation in the referendum process , " noting that " the referendum will take place in all areas under the control of the Peshmerga forces, which enjoys a safe."   Cindy added that "it is necessary to issue laws that guarantee the future and the rights of all components of the population in the areas covered by Article 140 of the Constitution , " stressing " the importance of the success of the referendum process in those areas."  Cindy called on Kurdish political parties to "exploit time and expedite the completion of the practical steps for the referendum , " stressing " the importance of achieving national peace and unity of the Kurdish".  The Kurdish parties held a meeting in (June 7, 2017) in the resort of Salahuddin in Arbil , chaired by the President of the Kurdistan region , Massoud Barzani , the center of the province of some political forces, and those parties agreed to hold a popular referendum on the fate of the region in the twenty - fifth of next September.

[jcfrag]

22 hours ago, yota691 said:

Saturday, July 15th 2017 21:36

 

 

Kurdish official: referendum, "Iraqi Kurdistan" negotiating tactic to put pressure on Baghdad

 

Tehran - (AFP): an official in the government of Iraqi Kurdistan said that the referendum on the independence of the province due to take place in September is a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Baghdad to fulfill its promises on energy and power - sharing files. 

Through Nazim Dabbagh, representing the government of the Kurdistan region of Iraq in Tehran, it fears Iraqi forces from attacking Kurdish positions after the completion of the liberation of Mosul from state regulation "Daesh". But he stressed that Iraq 's Kurds would prefer to remain part of Iraq, despite the call for a referendum on independence on 25 September. Dabbagh said in his office in the Iranian capital , "We are doing this to solve our problems in Iraq. So far, we have no intention of separation." "We do not feel that Iraq accepts us. For this reason, we seek to take advantage of appropriate opportunities, through diplomacy, parliament, and the people, in order to claim our rights. If they do not want to solve our problems . Our people ready to sacrifice." Dabbagh accused Baghdad of failing to honor its promises included in the main Iraqi constitution in 2005, including the solution of Kirkuk, a city on the border between the province of Kurdistan , which enjoys self - governing and the rest of Iraq. He said that Baghdad has not ratified the laws on oil and the financing of the Kurdish security forces known Balepeshmrkh revenues, despite its crucial role in the battle against "Daesh". Dabbagh said : "I think that some Iraqi leaders are still thinking of Baathist mentality , " referring to the party of former President Saddam Hussein. " I do not accept the other and always resort to the army to resolve the problems." Asked if he was concerned about the possibility of attacking the Iraqi army and the forces of the popular crowd for the Kurdistan region, "100% answered. That 's what I fear." The Kurds are aware of Iraq's 5 million people and their precarious, as surrounded by countries strongly oppose any move towards independence could encourage similar separatist moves in the Kurdish regions. Dabbagh said "We live in a closed geographical area surrounded by Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. If you wanted to , these countries can Thasrna". Iran maintains, which includes about 6 million Kurds, strong ties with the Iraqi Kurds but opposed the edge of the abyss to declare the referendum policy. The Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said , "Iran rejects whispers about a referendum aimed at the secession of part of Iraq." In turn, the Iraqi ambassador in Tehran Saturday considered the independence of Kurdistan "impossible" and a violation of the Iraqi constitution. The ambassador said Rajeh Sabir al - Moussawi told the Mehr News "If you grew up a Kurdish state Festuld dead. I hope that the Kurds behave brothers more wisely and not choose this dangerous path."

Too funny Yota, You nailed it!!!

[jcfrag]

I do so wish something, somewhere, somehow, would put a lit match under Abadi's arse on 140 and HCL. When it comes to those two very important issues, he sways and swerves trying to avoid dealing with it. Definitely isn't thinking of his country as a whole, ans is certainly making him look no better then Maliki. Maybe the next Prime Minister next year will be able to make 2 simple decisions to get the Kurds on board with the rest of the country......   

 

[DinarThug]

(by jjonesmx)

Dabbagh: the Kurds do not have the intention to secede and the referendum is a negotiating tactic to put pressure on Baghdad

 

• SOTALIRAQ

• JULY 17, 2017

Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Tehran, on Sunday, confirmed that the referendum scheduled to take place next September will not be aimed at independence from Iraq, but it is a negotiating tactic to put pressure on the central government to implement its promises on the merits of the region.

He said, Nazim al-Dabbagh, told Agence France-Presse that the Iraqi Kurds would prefer to remain part of Iraq, despite the call for a referendum on independence in the twenty-fifth of next September ", expressing fears of attacking Iraqi forces and Kurdish sites after the completion of the restoration of Mosul from the organization Daesh.

He explained, al-Dabbagh, who belongs to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Jalal Talabani that "the Kurdish leadership is conducting a referendum to resolve Almhlkh with the Iraqi government and the Kurds do not have any intention to secede from Iraq."

The accused, Ali al-Dabbagh, the Baghdad government of not fulfilling its promises listed in the main Iraqi constitution in 2005, including resolving the status of Kirkuk.

 

http://www.sotaliraq.com/2017/.....�لإ/amp/

 

[Butifldrm]

Kurdish parties in Kirkuk emphasizes the holding of the referendum to maintain and assure the components of "guarantees"

 

 Twilight News    

 

 one hour ago

 

 

Twilight News / confirmed the Kurdish parties in the province of Kirkuk on Monday on the need to hold a referendum in the province in conjunction with the deadline by the Kurdistan Region on 25 of the month of September next, while expressing its rejection of a lawsuit filed in Baghdad against the head of the provincial council on raising the flag of Kurdistan in Kirkuk , it called for the need to expedite start editing Hawija process.

The representative of the Islamic group read Syed Kamal Fattah issued a statement at a press conference held after a meeting between the Kurdish parties held today, that all parties support a referendum in Kirkuk on schedule.

He added that the parties is a case against the President of the Council is illegal, and politically targeted, saying that persisting parties calling for the federal government in Baghdad to the need to begin the process of liberalization of Hawija as they represent a threat to Kirkuk.

Fattah said his party continued to hold the referendum on time, provided the activation of the Kurdistan Region Parliament, and that the referendum leads to the formation of a Kurdish state, noting that we unify our positions in Kirkuk, and not to transfer problems between the political parties in Kurdistan to the province.

For his part, representative of the Movement for Change in Kirkuk during the conference, said his party supports the referendum completely that is activated before the parliament, and that is to hold the referendum in all areas of Kurdistan withholdings "disputed."

Meanwhile, a representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan publicly for the meeting during the conference, that "we are working on a dialogue with the rest of the components in Kirkuk, including the issue of the referendum"

He stressed that he would not be saying that the postponement of the referendum in Kirkuk in any form and will be conducted in the same time with the Kurdistan Region. "

He went representative of the National Union, saying that the components in Kirkuk, demanding guarantees before the referendum, and they have the right to Ihsol all the guarantees, persisting in saying that they will receive guarantees of al-Hafiz on their language and customs traditions and give them positions and job grades not only in Kirkuk but all of Kurdistan.

And met the Kurdish parties in Kirkuk of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Movement for Change, the Islamic Group, the Islamic Union earlier on Monday in the province of Kirkuk.

According to sources of the Twilight News that the meeting discussed three issues, which are as follows: Confirmation of the referendum in Kirkuk province, rejected the case against the President of the Provincial Council Ribawar Talabani on raising the flag of Kurdistan in Kirkuk, emphasizing the necessity of starting liberation Hawija spend southwest of Kirkuk operations from the grip of Daesh.

 

Keywords: 

 

http://www.shafaaq.com/ar/Ar_NewsReader/b234c8ba-74b1-437e-8d82-95751b4aea9e

[yota691]

Barzani , the British Consul: ready to address the outstanding problems with Baghdad through dialogue and understanding

 one hour ago

 

 

Twilight News Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani / new territory on Monday, ready to address differences and outstanding issues with the federal government in Baghdad through dialogue and mutual understanding.

This came during a meeting this morning, Martin new British Consul-Loire in the Kurdistan Region and his accompanying delegation, according to a statement issued by the Government of the Territory.

The statement said that Barzani's profile has been on the economic situation of the Kurdistan Region, alluding to the possibility of Britain urged to encourage British companies to implement investment projects in the Kurdistan Region and play its role as the region, which makes it a center for its activities for all Onhar Iraq.

Concerning relations between Erbil and Baghdad, sovereignty and readiness of the Kurdistan Region expressed to address the outstanding problems through mutual understanding with Baghdad dialogue, and in this context, described Britain's role is very important.

Discussed a number of issues related Boushaa region and the latest developments in the war against the terrorist organization Daesh in Mosul, was another aspect of this meeting.

[Spider]

Better referendum first due to article 140 already inside constitution, HCA already signed and HCL already drafted but all of this item not voted or implement by Baghdad. That's their own fault.

[yota691]

Barzani welcomed the approval of the party to re-activate the Kurdistan Parliament

 

 

Jul 19, 2017

Arbil «Quds Al- Arabi»: the expected change in the position of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, in which he announced a leadership willing party, activate the frozen Kurdistan region 's parliament for more than a year, and without conditions, at a time when the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan ( PUK ) welcomed this development. 
Commenting on the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Fred Asesrd, he told «Al Quds Al Arabi» that «National Union welcomes the position of the Democratic Party to activate the parliament», stressing that his party «pressure strongly democratic in order to activate the parliament, especially in the last period». 
He stressed that « the necessity of activating the parliament because it would not be there without the legitimacy of the parliament.» 
He pointed out that his party was convinced that « the Democratic Party must give in and agree to re - activate the parliament«, expressing the hope that this situation will be the beginning of solving problems between the Democratic Party and change, and the beginning of easing the crisis in the region. 
Asesrd stressed that « the issue of parliament and the referendum, was wrongly linked even though they are different subjects and may not be linked. Parliament must do , whether there is a referendum or not, and in any case , need a legislative The region device, and this is agreed upon by all Kurdish parties. » 
The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, dominated Hawrami, the first announced on Monday that his party had agreed to activate the Kurdistan parliament and «without conditions». 
He said, during a televised interview to the channel «Rodawo» news close to the Democratic Party, that his party had contacts with «Change Movement» under the guidance of Barzani, in order to start bilateral meetings with the movement and unconditionally, to be enacted by the parliament in the interest of a referendum region ». He Hawrami, that the Democratic Party made a proposal for the movement of change, they are awaiting a response from the movement », noting that« the Kurdistan Democratic Party, has waived all conditions, including the lack of acceptance of the senior leader in change Yusuf Mohamed as Speaker of Parliament, all for the sake of the referendum process, so it is not democratic Kurdistan have any conditions, and in return will not accept conditions from any one ». 
The Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan ( PUK ) , held meetings , most recently in a series on last Sunday, in the city of Erbil, to discuss the re - activation of the parliament. 
Following the meeting , he said the leader of the Patriotic Union, Saadi beer «There are no obstacles to the activation of the Parliament of Kurdistan, we've met with the MDC, and will convey response movement of the Democratic Party, and we hope to invest this golden opportunity for response, as the international community is now waiting to be as a response to a common position ». 
The movement of «change» has refrained from attending a meeting of the Kurdish parties called by Barzani, and in which it agreed to set a date to hold the referendum in September / Spettmr was next, where the movement required to activate the parliament before proceeding with the referendum. 
Kurdistan Region Parliament has been disrupted since October / October 2015 when the prevention of the Democratic Party, the Speaker of Parliament, Mohammed Yusuf, calculated on the «change» from entering Erbil, to accuse the movement of conspiring against the democratic and raise the Kurdish street against him. 
But, it seems, that the Democratic Party 's desire to hold the referendum on the secession of the territory of Iraq, is required to re - activate the parliament to grant this move legal status and legitimacy.

[Butifldrm]

Arab tribes rally for Kurdistan referendum

By Rudaw 19 hours ago

Arabs in Zumar express support for Kurdistan referendum. Photo: Rudaw video

ZUMAR, Kurdistan Region – A number of Arab tribes from west of the Tigris gathered on Tuesday to show support for the Kurdistan Region’s upcoming independence referendum and the establishment of a Kurdistani state.
 
Representatives of more than 30 Arab tribes gathered in the town of Zumar, northwest of Mosul, Rudaw’s correspondent Peshawa Bahlawi reported from the town. 
 
“We have gathered here to show support for the referendum which is due to be held on September 25 for the independence of Kurdistan,” one man told Rudaw who described Kurdistan independence as a separation from “oppression and corruption.”

Rudaw’s Bahlawi said those participating in the demonstration want to cast votes in the referendum. Zumar is in Kurdistani or disputed areas claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad. It is under Peshmerga control. 
 
“No one is against the referendum, except the corrupt and terrorists. We are grateful to the leadership of the Kurdistan Region, its wise leadership, national army, for the services they have delivered to the IDPs and Arab areas. They have also made sacrifices, which is why they have the right to determine their own future and establish a Kurdish state,” explained one of the tribal leaders. 

Kurdish leaders intend to hold the referendum in Kurdistani areas such as Zumar.

 

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/180720175

[Butifldrm]

KRG hopes US will play mediator in Kurdistan’s separation from Iraq

By Rudaw 3 hours ago

The Kurdistan Regional Government's head of the Department of Foreign Relations Falah Mustafa (left) is welcomed to Washington, D.C., by the KRG's Representative to the United States Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman on Monday. Photo: KRG DFR

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Kurdistan Region hopes that the United States will play a mediator’s role between Erbil and Baghdad in the Kurdish region’s upcoming independence referendum.
 
"The United States can play a very important role," Falah Mustafa, head of the Region’s foreign relations department told Foreign Policy magazine. "It has leverage, and it has tools, in order to be the broker … in bringing Erbil and Baghdad to this process of negotiation."
 
The United States stance is that the timing of the September 25 referendum be changed until after Iraq’s next parliamentary elections in 2018 and in order not to take the focus away from the war against ISIS.
 
In working with the US and the global coalition against ISIS in the last three years the Kurds have proven themselves to be a reliable ally, Kurdish leaders argue.

"The United States has found out that Kurds are their best friends and allies — in building democracy, in fighting terrorism, in caring for the displaced communities and standing for the minorities," said Mustafa, who is in the US capital on a lobbying tour.

The Kurdish Peshmerga have sacrificed more than 1,700 fighters over the past three years with about 10,000 more sustaining injuries.
 
Ministry of Peshmerga spokesman Halgurd Hikmat reassured Washington at a press conference at the Pentagon last week that the referendum was a political matter and would not distract the Kurdish forces from fighting ISIS.
 

Mustafa said that the Kurds had issues with the fact that “Whoever sits in Baghdad wants to grab all the power and control everything.”

 

Kurdish leaders, chief among them President Masoud Barzani, have long said that separation from Iraq would be best for both Iraq itself and the Kurds and they hope that the international community, the United States in particular will give them a chance to practice this democratic right.

 

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190720171

"The people of Kurdistan do hope that the United States would stand by the values, the principles, and also the friendship that we have developed," Mustafa said.

[235snack]

Maliki Inducing Political Blocs, MPs to Oppose Kurdistan’s Independence Referendum

 

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Basnews English

19/07/2017 - 14:08

Iraq

 

 

 

ERBIL — Iraqi Shi’ite politician and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is using certain parliamentary blocs against Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum, said a Kurdish lawmaker.

Kurdish member of the Iraqi parliament, Faris Brifkani, also revealed that Maliki has promised the political blocs and several MPs financial privileges and future senior positions for their battle against the referendum process.

He believes that the campaign is, for now, focused on Kirkuk as its governor — a Kurd — is becoming under fierce illegitimate criticisms from certain parties.

According to Brifkani, Maliki has also ordered the media channels close to his agenda to launch a campaign and provoke possible issues related to the Arab population of Kirkuk province.

However, the Kurdish lawmaker insists that such a move will remain fruitless for Maliki as the Kurds have made it clear that there is no turning back on their decision to hold the referendum on time.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani announced on 7th June that the independence referendum will take place on 25th September this year to allow the people decide on their future: to stay within Iraq or establish a country of their own.

[Butifldrm]

US Ambassador to UN appreciates 'legitimate aspirations' of Iraqi Kurds

By Rudaw 8 hours ago

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. AP file photo

 

NEW YORK—The United States appreciates the “legitimate aspirations” of the Kurds of Iraq, said its ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley on Tuesday, adding meanwhile that an independence referendum may affect the priority of fighting ISIS.

“Ambassador Haley conveyed her appreciation for the legitimate aspirations of Iraqi Kurds, but expressed concerns that holding any type of independence referendum would be a distraction from urgent priorities such as defeating ISIS and stabilizing the country for all Iraqis,” read a statement following a meeting between Haley and UN representative in Iraq Jan Kubis. 

Haley and Kubis, who is UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) were discussing “the current conditions in Iraq following the liberation of Mosul, including the need for accountability, stabilization, and the return of internally displaced persons to their homes.” 

Erbil has set September 25 for a referendum in which the people of the Kurdistan Region will decide whether to stay with Iraq or separate and establish an independent state.

Most have urged Kurdish leaders to seek dialogue with Baghdad to resolve all disputes instead of separation.

"The absence of meaningful political dialogue could turn a conflict of interests into a different kind of conflict," Kubis said in a statement on Monday. "Prime Minister Abadi’s and President’s Barzani call for dialogue, should be followed by meetings of negotiation teams as a matter of urgency."

 

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/19072017

[Butifldrm]

Kurdistan to hold parliamentary, presidential elections November 1

By Rudaw 9 minutes ago

A Kurdish man casts his vote in the 2013 general elections in the Kurdistan Region. File Photo: Rudaw

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani has set November 1, 2017 for parliamentary and presidential elections in the Kurdistan Region.

 

In a decree signed on July 12, a copy of which was obtained by Rudaw, Barzani officially called the elections, saying the date was set in accordance with the presidential law passed by the Kurdistan legislature in 2005.

 

“All concerned parties are committed to do the necessary work and will support and coordinate with the Kurdistan Higher Independent Election Commission and Referendum to implement this decree,” the decree continued.

 

The Kurdistan Region last held parliamentary elections in 2013. The presidential election has not been held since 2009.

 

Barzani, who won the 2009 vote with a landslide, has already said that he will not stand in the November elections.

 

His term of office expired in 2013 and has since been extended twice, once by the Kurdistan parliament and then in a controversial court decision.

 

The call for the elections comes as the Kurdistan region will hold an independence referendum on September 25.

 

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190720174

[yota691]

Kurdistan, the presidency sets early November as the date for holding presidential and parliamentary elections   Wednesday July 19, 2017 16:32

[yota691]

Dawa Party: Kurdistan referendum blackmail the Federal Government

7/20/2017 2:19     Baghdad / morning  with near schedule presumably, escalated in a remarkable rejection of the referendum ,which intends to the presidency of the Kurdistan region conducted in the twenty - fifth of next September, after the Prime Minister Haider al - Abadi said that the referendum «unconstitutional», the Islamic Dawa party warned of «dangerous agendas» on national security as a result of the insistence on it.  While the US government considers that the holding of a referendum on independence would be a deviation from the immediate priorities such as the defeat of Daesh, Turkey promised «something wrong would generate unexpected results.»  The Dawa Party, in a statement that «the referendum in the Kurdistan region contradicts fundamentally with the referendum on the Iraqi constitution , which was conducted in 2005 and participated in which all components of the people , including the brothers the Kurds, for the establishment of a parliamentary federal system , pluralistic, and that the Constitution devoted to the country 's unity Union stainless dichotomy between the various components of the people, which reflects the will of the Iraqis to uphold the unity of their country and refused to touch him under any pretext Oouhjh ».  The statement added that « the declaration of the presidency of the region to hold the referendum accompanied by threats and an attempt to impose a fait accompli policy is also inconsistent with the most basic assets and the principles of dealing with the federal government and the rest of the social and political components of Iraq», pointing out that «over the big question marks come the referendum after the harsh defeats subjected her organization recently Daesh ».  The party stressed that «insist on a referendum strengthens suspicions agendas will be a threat to the national security of Iraq in the foreseeable future, and less these malicious intentions to try to achieve partisan interests on the political forces account within the region on the one hand and to blackmail the federal government to obtain certain gains on the other hand with our firm belief that these gains will be the supreme national interest of the Iraqi people account. »  As she said the US ambassador to the United Nations Ambassador Nicky Healy, said that any referendum on independence would be a deviation from the immediate priorities such as the defeat of Daesh and stabilize the country for all  Iraqis.  She said Healy, in a statement after the meeting with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the President of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) , Jan Kubiš, they discussed during the meeting with the UN official « the current situation in Iraq after the liberation of Mosul, including the need for accountability and to achieve stability and the return of internally displaced persons to their homes », confirmed« the need to streamline the United Nations assistance Mission to Iraq, to make sure they are still valid for the purpose for which it was created for  him ».  Meanwhile, spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry Mufti Hussein Ihsanoglu, in a statement that « the Turkish attitude towards the referendum fixed and will not change», adding that «his country rejects the referendum and prepared something wrong would generate unexpected results».

[yota691]

Barzani recommends that the provincial government prepared to negotiate with Baghdad on independence files

He said that the referendum route to get to independence

 

 Rawezh Muhamad

 19/07/2017 - 23:37

 

 

 

 

 

The chairman of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani (vice president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party also) during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the readiness of democratic Kurdistan to re-activation unconditionally to the Kurdistan Parliament, revealing the invitation of the party officially meeting the movement of change (its candidate holds the presidency of the parliament) .

Statement of the Presidency of the Government, Talath (Basenyoz) quoted Barzani as saying that political parties efforts to re-activate the ongoing parliament revealed in this context, call for the Kurdistan Democratic Party officially to meet the movement of change and his willingness to re-activation of the unconditional Parliament of Kurdistan.

He also noted President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, to the subject of the referendum, saying that "the referendum itself is not a goal, but he way towards the goal of a greater Kurdistan independence." Saying "the unity of the people of Kurdistan and the political parties to guarantee the success of the referendum" to .lavta they will make every effort to ensure the success of the referendum and also will start after serious talks with Iraq to reach the biggest goal of independence.

Barzani also stressed that the referendum does not belong to a certain point, saying it was "not in the referendum winner nor loser, we are all winners too, and vice versa." It also considered the responses of international and regional action towards the referendum "normal," adding that some of them related to "timing" of the referendum.

And assigned Barzani Council of Ministers of the region to prepare a file accurate information and figures on issues related to relations between the region and the Iraqi government in coordination with the competent ministries and institutions, in order to negotiate with Baghdad, explain how it said the Iraqi government has dealt deal unfairly and illegally with the Kurdistan Region, especially in the fields associated with the Peshmerga forces and the budget and compensation for damage caused by the previous regimes of Kurdistan province, especially compensation for victims of the Anfal and the destruction of the infrastructure of the region as well as the region's share of international loans and constitutional rights of the province of Ba Participation in the utilization of resources and power in Iraq, as well as not to help the Kurdistan Region hosted by the huge numbers of displaced people and refugees. 

 As stressed Najervyn Barzani, the region is ready to begin the process of healthy negotiating with Iraq and in a peaceful manner in order to address the problems of the people of Kurdistan and to achieve their demands and their legitimate rights.

[jcfrag]

Oh, for the love of God... this is growing so old so fast with the Kurds and Baghdad ya ya-ing back and forth over and over and over and over and over. Me thinks they both need a dose of reality! Neither side really wants to make progress or this would already have been resolved. Just plain tired of reading about how the kurds "want"...... For such courageous warriors they proclaim to be, all I see are chronic Barzani "whiners"! I'm going to POP watching this game that they play!!!!!  😄

Edited July 20, 2017 by jcfrag

[The Englishman]

Kurdistan seeks billions of dollars from Iraqi gov’t as compensation

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Editorial Staff in Politics, Politics

Nechirvan Barzani, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, June 7, 2017. Photo: Courtesy/KRG

 

HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is to prepare a dossier that may request the Iraqi government to pay hundreds of billions of dollars to Erbil as compensation when the two sides sit down to negotiate Kurdistan’s bid for independence.

Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani has asked the KRG’s Council of Ministers to prepare a detailed dossier with regard to relations between Erbil and Baghdad for negotiation with the central government, a statement from the KRG read Wednesday.

The dossier “must explain how the Iraqi government has been dealing with the Kurdistan Region in an unfair and illegal manner, particularly related to the Peshmerga, the budget, and compensating for all the damages conflicted on the Kurdistan Region at the hands of the successive Iraqi regimes, especially compensating the Anfal victims and destruction of the infrastructure of the Kurdistan Region,” the statement read.

 

Kurdish officials say that 182,000 people lost their lives during the Kurdish genocide in the 1980s, called Anfal, and thousands of Kurdish villages were emptied of their populations and destroyed by the Iraqi government.

The statement added that the ministers should also estimate the KRG’s share of international loans provided to the Iraqi government and other entitlements under the Iraqi constitution. It also noted Baghdad’s lack of interest in paying for hundreds of thousands of displaced Iraqis who sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

PM Barzani also expressed the Region’s readiness to enter a “sound” negotiation with Baghdad “in a peaceful way” to resolve the problems.

According to a request signed by PM Barzani in July 2013, the federal government must compensate those who suffered under the policies of former Iraqi governments between 1963 and 2003.

In another directive sent a month later that year, the KRG put the total compensation at nearly $387 billion.

The KRG’s Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami told Rudaw then that the figures might seem high, but should be into context of the losses suffered. He noted that more than 200,000 Kurds were martyred, thousands of homes destroyed, and the Kurdish regions devastated for three decades.

Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government is ruled by Massoud Barzani’s KDP party.

Kurdistan considered as the most corrupted part of Iraq. According to Kurdish lawmakers billions of dollars are missing from Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil revenues.

A Kurdish lawmaker said in March 2017 the amount of $1.266 billion from oil exports and Iraqi Kurdistan’s revenue has gone missing over the last three months.

KDP leader Massoud Barzani has been accused by critics of amassing huge wealth for his family instead of serving the population. Barzani’s son is the Kurdistan region’s intelligence chief and his nephew Nechirvan Barzani is the prime minister.

Erbil will hold a referendum on independence on September 25, a vote strongly opposed by Baghdad.