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ARBIL, Iraq, May 26 (IPS) - The two main Kurdish
parties have still not reached agreement on setting
up a regional government and parliament after
elections held Jan. 30.
In that election Kurds voted for the National
Assembly and also for a 111-seat regional
parliament. A coalition comprising the Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK) won 104 seats in the parliament.
Kurds had established their own regional and
government under U.S. and British protection after
rising against the Saddam Hussein regime in 1991
after the first Gulf War. But a civil war between
the different Kurdish factions broke out in 1994.
Following the end of that war in 1997, the two
parties set up their separate administrations, with
the KDP controlling the Arbil and Dohuk
governorates, and the PUK Sulaimaniya and parts of
Kirkuk.
The two parties set those differences aside for the
purpose of contesting the election early this year.
But the two parties failed to come together, despite
the intervention of independent leaders. This has
led to widespread public anger with both.
Festering differences between the parties surfaced
shortly before the first session of the regional
parliament was due April 24. The differences arose
over choice of president and the role of president.
The two parties differ over fundamental issues such
as the relative powers of the prime minister and the
president, whether the president must be elected by
popular mandate or by parliament, and the length of
his term.
The KDP wants the post of president to be functional
rather than ceremonial, and that he should be
elected by popular vote for a four-year term. The
PUK does not share this view.
Despite widespread protests over the delay of the
first session of the Kurdistan parliament, the two
major parties insist they want to resolve
differences at behind the scenes negotiations before
parliament can debate the issue.
By way of putting pressure on the parties, 17 newly
elected Kurdish MPs threatened on May 17 that they
will enter the parliament building Wednesday (May
25) and take their seats even if the parties fail to
reach agreement. They say the differences should be
settled in parliament itself.
But only two of the 17 turned up at the parliament
building Wednesday.
”We want to tell people that we are ready to convene
and as the elected candidates of the people we have
a right to do so,” Nouri Talabani, regional
parliament MP from Kirkuk told IPS. ”If they had put
the issue before parliament, it would have been
resolved earlier.”
While blaming one another for the deadlock, both
parties say a solution is likely soon.
”We have identical views on many issues and will
reach an agreement. There are no major differences
between us,” Omar Sayid Ali, a senior member of the
PUK politburo told IPS. ”Both sides are ready for
working out a solution, because an agreement has to
be reached.”
The PUK politburo proposed a new law on presidency
to the KDP earlier this week in a bid to end the
impasse. Amid indications that the KDP could agree
to this proposal, a meeting by the two parties to
announce an agreement could come soon.
Meanwhile the Kurdistan region remains in
administrative limbo.
”Kurdistan is facing a crisis of legitimacy, since
the two separate administrations of the major
parties operate without the existence of a
legislature,” local journalist Hawar Ahmad told IPS.
”Besides, don't forget that the role of the
Kurdistan parliament has always been a symbolic one,
and everything is settled at behind the scenes talks
between leaders of the parties,” Ahmad said.
www.ipsnews.net
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