Kurdistan president stresses 'Federal' in new name for Iraq 20.6.2005

"He who wants to impose a centralised government wants to divide Iraq. Our experience proves that federalism represents the unification of Iraq, not its division, and anyone who believes otherwise is mistaken," he said.

Kurds have essentially controlled three northern provinces, Sulaimaniyah, Arbil and Dohuk since 1991 but only recently overcame their own deep divisions to create a unified parliament that was seated early this month.

The region has been spared much of the ruthless violence seen in Baghdad and western Sunni Arab province of Al Anbar, although the disputed oil city of Kirkuk has suffered repeated attacks. And on Monday, 13 policemen were killed and 103 wounded in an attack in Arbil where 46 people were killed last month.

"Since the creation of the Iraq state more than 80 years ago we have known only tyranny and dictatorship, we were ruled by non-elected governments that imposed their force with tanks," Barzani said in reference first to a kingdom and then a republic that took over in 1958.

"What do you want, for us to repeat the past or to get to work to put a federal mechanism in place that functions and resolves our problems, like in Germany?"

Other parts of Iraq, and notably Shiite areas in the south, have begun to explore similar approaches.

In early June, the governor of Karbala province, Okail Khazali, announced that a committe had been established to look into creating an autonomous region in central Iraq -- home to many of the Shiite majority -- that would include his province.

Under current Iraqi law, three provinces may group together in an autonomous region, with the exception of Baghdad and Kirkuk.

AFP    

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