Barzani: Time is ripe for referendum; Kurdish independence brings the region peace

[SocalDinar]

Barzani: Time is ripe for referendum; Kurdish independence brings the region peace By Rudaw 3 hours ago

Kurdish President Masoud Barzani. Photo: Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region -- In a strongly worded message late on Tuesday Kurdish President Masoud Barzani defended the right of his people to an independent state and described the critics of independence referendum as unfair.

“In the last few days some local politicians and officials of regional states have made incorrect and unfair statements about the right of the Kurdish people to holding a referendum and deciding their own future,” said Barzani in a statement.

“First of all, the existence of the Kurdish people in the Middle East is a reality and the Kurds can, like all other nations, achieve their rights and benefit from them. These are natural and God-given rights and can under no excuse be denied.”

Barzani said in his message that the sooner the Kurds take their rights and decide their own future the sooner peace and stability will come to the region.

“If the Kurds expect others to hand them independence as a present they’ll never achieve independence. That right is there and the Kurds must seek and fulfill it,” he said.

Barzani said that the marking of the borders a century ago caused the people of the region a lot of suffering and tragedies.

“It is clear to all that this region and Kurdistan in particular was divided without regard to the will of its indigenous people which in turn led to a hundred years of troubles, war, denial and instability,” read his message. “Those who caused this division know very well what a big mistake they made but they are not ready to admit their political failure of the last one hundred years.”

The Kurdish president who has met with political parties several times in the last few months to discuss a mechanism for holding a referendum on independence, made comparisons to places like Scotland and people’s right to decide.

“It is not fair to discard the rights of the Kurdish people for political reasons or to appease others. Would they allow themselves to stop the rights of their own people? Kurdistan has every geographic, historic and human factor just as Scotland, Catalonia, Quebec and others do. The same way people in those places have the right to decide their future the Kurds too have that right and this is not open to argument.

“It is also surprising that some local figures find excuses against this right and speak of postponing [referendum] and of having to prepare the groundwork. A referendum is to know the opinion of the people of Kurdistan on independence and needs no preparation. Seeking excuses against a referendum comes from hesitation and lack of confidence in the right of the Kurdish people.” Barzani said.

Barzani’s message went on say that there is a golden opportunity for a referendum which must be seized.

“Now the time is ripe for the people of Kurdistan to decide their future through a referendum. The referendum does not mean an immediate declaration of a state but to know the opinion and desire of the people of Kurdistan which the Kurdish political leadership will implement at an appropriate time and circumstance.

“A referendum also takes place in a peaceful and modern process and it is done for more peace in the region and the return of the right to those who have been deprived of it. This will be done without violence and through understanding and dialogue and will pose no threat to anyone,” Barzani’s message emphasized.

Barzani met with members of the Kurdish parliament in the summer of 2014 and asked them to set a date for holding a referendum on independence, which he stressed in his latest message must go ahead regardless of what opponents say.

“Our region is has witnessed too many disasters and change is on the way and the Kurds haven’t caused any of it. The Kurds have only been the victims while others have brought disasters and conflict to the region,” he said.

The Kurdish president said that “After so many tragedies and sacrifice it is time the Kurds decided their own fate and it is the duty of every patriotic citizen of Kurdistan to live up to their historic responsibility and stand by their people’s will to achieve their rights.

“Denying an oppressed people their rights is unacceptable and we must give our people that right and work for it without hesitation.”

 

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/02022016

[tigergorzow]

SocalDinar Thanks, The Barzani's are truly as corrupt as they come. Share the wealth of your resources with your fellow citizens. Unite with the GOI & Parliament to achieve what is in the best interests of All Iraqi citizens. Resign from your posts to include your nephew PM N Barzani as well once you have completed all of these actions nlt end of Feb 2016. That will be your lasting legacy to your people.

Keeping the faith!!

GO RV!!

[sandfly]

T NOT LIKE M

[Laid Back]

HCL 17% for Kurdistan region

Barzani wants to sell oil to the Turks directly

Stop crying Barzani.!

[bigwave]

 

Iraqi Kurdistan’s regional President Masoud Barzani has announced that the time has come for Kurdistan to hold a referendum to decide on declaring unilateral independence from Baghdad.

“The time is ripe for the people of Kurdistan to decide their future,” Barzani said in a statement released Tuesday.

He said while the result of the referendum would not lead to an immediate break with Baghdad, it would prepare the ground to declare an independent state “at an appropriate time and circumstance.”

Any move toward independence could be fraught with challenges: There are deep divisions among Kurdish political factions that support Barzani’s continued hold on the presidency and others who oppose him.

Economic pressures

Kurdistan is also suffering from a severe economic crunch, with many public salaries now months in arrears.

Baghdad cut funding to the region in 2014 after the Kurds, seeking economic independence, built an oil pipeline to Turkey and began exporting oil without Baghdad's approval.

Stephen Cook, senior fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, says economic pressures could have played into Barzani’s decision.

“The Kurdistan Regional Government is in serious financial straits because of low oil prices and the perennial fighting with Baghdad over money,” Cook told VOA.

“This could be seen as an effort to extract money from the central government in Baghdad,” he said.

A KRG team on January 31 met with Iraqi government officials to discuss reforms aimed at resolving the economic crisis that both are facing, Reuters reported.

Iraqi Kurdish forces are seen as Washington’s strongest local partners in the fight against Islamic State extremists, although Kurdish Peshmerga are still heavily reliant on coalition forces' help to keep the militants at bay.

Putting U.S. on notice

Cook said Barzani may also have wanted “to put the Americans on notice that the Kurds are not going to ask for permission to establish an independent state.”

Because Barzani also enjoys a relatively positive relationship with Ankara, Cook said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan could be prepared to work with an independent Kurdistan – while continuing to attack Syrian Kurds, who Ankara believes are linked to independence-seeking Kurds in Turkey.

Kurdistan is officially made up of three northern provinces, but during the fight against IS, Kurdish forces have spread beyond that to control areas that are disputed with Baghdad, such as parts of the oil-rich region of Kirkuk.

 

http://www.voanews.com/content/iraq-kurdistan-independence-referendum/3175471.html

[gymrat76541]

CRYING FOR INDEPENDENCE + BANKRUPCY = NOT HAPPENING! LOL

[yota691]

Change: Barzani singing out of tune and break away from Baghdad requires the approval of 148 countries 

Political

 Since 02/04/2016 13:07 pm (Baghdad time)

Special - scales News

Confirmed member of the Kurdistan Alliance MP for the mass change Tavkh Ahmed, said Thursday that the secession of Kurdistan region of Iraq requires the approval of 148 countries, noting that the referendum, which intends to Massoud Barzani, his meaningless to him is an attempt to export the crisis from Erbil to Baghdad.

Referred to the President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani stated its intention to hold a referendum to secede from Iraq and the formation of a Kurdish state.

He said Ahmed's / balances News /, said that "the fate of the region is not a referendum, but in line with the central government over disputed territories and the economic crisis and other things, also took the international approvals up to 148 out of the required 250 countries to agree to independence."

She added that "Massoud Barzani is not a president for the region, considering that his mandate expired last year, so any decisions you take his government are illegal, as the goal of this subject is to stay in power and distracting the Kurdish people in this referendum and the coverage of the crisis in the province and the other from the games followed by the political. "

She pointed out, that "the Barzani that gives the salaries of staff who suffer from it for five months, and an end to the war with Daash, economic and political crises and disputes, and then hold a referendum and are determined to establish a Kurdish state."

She said, "It is supposed to build a strong economy and rely on good earnings, and taking domestic and international approvals, and then we can achieve the separation."

Confirmed the Kurdistan Alliance MP Susan Baker, on Wednesday, said there was no real action to resolve the political crisis in the region, but there are fears of a popular movement because of the prejudice to the financial crisis, their lives. Ended 29/38

[yota691]

Iraqi Kurdistan referendum .. Is open new fronts of conflict?

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Side of the episode "Special Report" program

 

 

02/11/2016

Discussed the "Special Report" aired "Al Hurra" program, invite the President of Iraqi Kurdistan Massoud Barzani to hold a referendum on independence for the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and the responses of the Iraqi, regional and international action on them.

Said political analyst Kurdish Hoshyar Malo through hosted in the program that the right to self-determination guaranteed for all in accordance with the constitutions and relevant international laws, adding that "the personification of the Kurdish issue, flattening her," and pointing out that the Kurds "do not want a confrontation with the government in Baghdad."

The president of the Iraqi Group for Strategic Studies and confident Hashemi For his part, Barzani that "the Iraqi constitution hits the wall," and questioned the timing of the call for the referendum, and stressed that the main objective of which is to Barzani's quest to remain in power.

He pointed out that al-Hashimi of Iraq's neighbors will not allow the establishment of a Kurdish state in the region, wondering: "Is Turkey to allow a referendum on the independence of the Kurds?"

He said the Turkish political analyst Mohammad Zahid Gul turn that Turkey is ready to hold a referendum on the fate of the Kurdish areas where the merged later with Iraqi Kurdistan, adding that Ankara is acutely aware that the State of Kurdistan to come.

As a political activist in favor of the Syrian Kurdish Zara Velvet that "the referendum on the independence of Kurdistan greatly delayed," asserting that the opinion of the President of the Democratic Union Party, Saleh Muslim, about the fate of the Kurds in Syria do not represent them all.

 

 

[DoD]

The time is right for a new government in Kurdistan. Maybe there are enough Kurds with some sense to make the change.

[yota691]

US official: Restore Mosul will be tough

Iraq: Kurdistan Ebadi demanded not to secede

 

 

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi yesterday called the Kurdistan region to undo his aspirations for independence, warning that the region can not develop without Iraq. Abadi said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the conclusion of talks with them in Berlin that "part of Iraqi Kurdistan and wish to remain so," adding that "Iraq needs to be united with all its components and this is what we seek."

 The head of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, outgoing Massoud Barzani said on the third of February it was time to organize a referendum on the establishment of an independent state in northern Iraq. Ebadi said in this regard: "in a transparent and clear I pray that you do not need to hold the referendum," adding, "If the referendum does not adhere to it, so why go to him ?, Do we take the opinion of people and we work I would imagine that a referendum without the result can be seen it is popularly Bawam disregard for the people. "

 For his part, the US special presidential envoy said an alliance against al Daash Brett Mac Greco, said that the restoration of Mosul, the process will be arduous and very difficult and requires a long time. He added that the Americans have established operations center in the town drunk, and would be sent to Sunni militants and the peshmerga, and the leaders of Iraqi forces and US advisers to plan restored. He said that "this campaign will be integrated, and will not be conventional and will not begin a specific date for it has already begun.

[yota691]

Italy: we will not support the independence of the Kurdistan region

History of edits:: 13.2.2016 8:57 • 102 visits readable

[baghdad - where] 
the Italian foreign minister said his government's position on the issue of the independence of the Kurdistan region is linked to the province, and Italy will not be able to support this move. "

According to Kurdish sources between Paulo Jantelaun in a press statement, that the President of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, has shown him during the meeting, which bring them together on the need to double the aid provided by the international community for the Peshmerga forces, which, due to the financial crisis in the region. 
He explained Jantelaun, that " message Barzani has been very clear about the existence of a real financial and economic crisis in the region due to low oil prices, which requires doubling of aid provided by the international community for the Peshmerga forces and the Kurdistan Regional Government that. " 
He added," we write down some important notes during our meeting with Barzani, and we are viewing and delivery, not only the Italian government, but we passed them on to our allies in Europe and to the international coalition fighting terror Daash gangs. " 
As for the Italian government's position on the question of the independence of the Kurdistan region, said," this question is linked to the province, and Italy will not be able to support the move , and will not stand in front of their achievement, which counts Italy at the present time, is to unite the class in the Kurdistan region, and must study the situation well before taking this step, ".anthy

[yota691]

Abadi: my footsteps painful reform nor the interest of the Kurds to secede from Iraq

He wrote: February 15, 2016

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi stressed that every reform step carried out painful reforms, especially as he announced through the media did not report the political blocs because they belong to the people and not these blocks.

He revealed Abadi in a televised interview about the existence of false rumors to discredit the reforms are working on several points, stressing that it will be a difficult process for reforming the current situation in Iraq, saying that a strong reforms is that the salaries of special grades in half did not work out one other this added Abadi that there are those who object to the Minister professionals and seeks to bring his group, adding that he could not hold the reform ministers follow the political blocs on the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil Abadi said that the referendum Kurdistan region redundant loop lead to more tension and he did not see the interest of the Kurds to secede and the interest of the Kurds and all Iraqis to stay together surprising that there is no transparency for the region's oil revenues source of outside saying what text to hand us the Kurdistan region's oil imports and we Nslmanm salaries.

[yota691]

Chenkali: the province is awaiting approval by Baghdad to establish a Kurdish state

Political

 Since 02.17.2016 at 12:58 (Baghdad time)

Special - balances News

The Kurdistan Alliance, on Wednesday, said the establishment of a Kurdish state would lead to the independence of the region economically, and his government is waiting the approval of Baghdad.

It is noted that MP for the mass change Tavkh Ahmed, confirmed that all decisions prov own independence and export of oil and other issued by Massoud Barzani family.

The MP said the coalition Majid Chenkali L / balance News /, that "the region waiting for the federal government's approval in Baghdad, the establishment of a Kurdish state and to recognize the right of the Kurdish people to self-determination and statehood," adding that "the establishment of the foundation sought by the Kurds Kurdish state that set up a Kurdish state advance the understanding and dialogue with the government in Baghdad in order to be in the future as neighbors and allies are strong not have hostility between the two governments and the problems in the future. "

He added that "the region will depend on the same economic and political terms there will be an economic dealings with other countries based on that Kurdistan will be the state," noting that "the establishment of a Kurdish state would lead to economic independence and will be able to stand on their own in the future."

It is said that the President of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, confirmed the government's intention to hold a referendum on the establishment of a Kurdish state.

From: Nur al-Din Wahba  

[yota691]

Russia: we respect the Kurdish desire for independence but with the unity of Iraq

History of edits:: 18/02/2016 20:57 • 169 visits readable

[Oan- up] 
Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said on Thursday that Russia respects the independence of Kurds in but supports the territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria.

Churkin said in an interview with the newspaper and the radio station [Kommersant] "We support the territorial integrity of Syria and the unity of Iraq's territory, although we respect the Kurds." 
The President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, has called According to informed Kurdish sources to "hold a referendum on the fate and future of the Kurdistan region before the start of elections presidential in the United States. " Ie before the expiry of the mandate of President Barack Obama. 
As his son Security Council adviser province Barzani said, "It will not be the announcement of a Kurdish state immediately after the holding of the referendum process," likely before the end of 2016. 
He said Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Monday, referendum province independence "redundant loop lead to more tension," stressing that it "does not see the interest of the Kurds to secede."