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Iraqi
Kurdistan's newly elected regional parliament
convened for the first time on Saturday in the
northern city of Irbil, paving the way for the
unification of a Kurdish self-rule area currently
divided between two rival parties.
Many Kurds believe the merger is vital if they are
to realise their national aspirations - including
regional autonomy and control over the disputed
province of Kirkuk.
Jalal Talabani, Iraq's first-ever Kurdish president,
told the 111-member body: "Your democratically
elected parliament faces a critical period in the
history of Iraq. Our sacred task is to draft a
permanent constitution that guarantees equality for
all of Iraqi society and protects democratic and
federal freedoms."
Kurdish leaders expect the announcement within weeks
of a cabinet composed jointly of the Kurdish
Democratic party led by Massoud Barzani, which
controls the centre and west of the zone, and Mr
Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
This joint government will then attempt to merge the
competing ministries the two parties have run in
their respective zones since fighting a small civil
war in 1996.
Many Kurds believe that if the state of disunity
persists it will disadvantage the Kurds in
negotiations with other Iraqis over a permanent
constitution.
"This division is the stumbling block" for the Kurds
realising their national aspirations, said Hiwa
Osman, a Kurdish affairs analyst. "If you have
divided governments, and a decision was taken on
Kirkuk [to join it to Kurdistan], which region,
which administration, would you have put it under?"
Mr Talabani and Mr Barzani have agreed the outline
of an agreement to merge their two governments that
would see Mr Barzani become the president of
Kurdistan in exchange for supporting Mr Talabani's
candidacy for the largely symbolic presidency of
Iraq. Many Kurds say this agreement was suited to
the personalities of both.
The two parties ran a joint list in January 30
elections for the Kurdish regional parliament, the
first in the northern autonomous zone since 1992.
However, the formation of the joint government was
held up for four months by a dispute between the two
leaders over the powers that Mr Barzani would wield
as president.
Kurdish leaders, however, expect parliament to
approve a compromise bill, which allows for heavy
parliamentary oversight over the presidency, within
days.
http://news.ft.com
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