|
Iraqi Kurdistan president rejects Baker
report as 'inappropriate'
8.12.2006 |
|
|
|
BAGHDAD, December
8, -- The president of Iraq's Kurdish Autonomous
Region issued Friday a strongly worded rebuke of the
Iraq Study Group's report on the situation of Iraq
and recommendations for US policy, describing it as
"unrealistic and inappropriate".
"We are in no way abiding by this report," said
Kurdish regional President Massoud Barzani, a key US
ally in Iraq.
"Despite our thanks and gratitude for President
George W. Bush and the American administration for
overthrowing the previous regime and their efforts
for building a new Iraq, we think that the Iraq
Study group has made some unrealistic and
inappropriate recommendations," added the statement.
Barzani began the letter by criticizing the report's
authors for never visiting the Kurdish region in the
course of their nine month long research for the
report. |
Massoud Barzani, President of Kurdistan
Region in Iraq |
"The report is contrary to what Mr. James Baker told
us by phone two days ago and assured us that the
special status of Kurdistan was taken into account,"
added Barzani.
Other Iraqi leaders, most of whom appear to have
been familiar with the contents of the report prior
to its official release, were cautiously optimistic
about the proposals, especially those calling for
national reconciliation.
In its efforts to promote greater unity for the
country, the ISG report appears to have trodden on
the Kurds' toes.
Their autonomous region has escaped the violence
raging in the rest of the country and is practically
a separate entity.
The report suggested delaying the implementation of
constitutional article 140 calling for a
controversial referendum to decide the future of the
northern oil city of Kirkuk, a tense mix of ethnic
groups.
"Any delay in the implementation of this article
will have grave consequences and it will in no way
be accepted by the people of Kurdistan," said
Barzani.
He also rejected calls by the report for the Kurdish
region to share the revenue of its newly discovered
oil resources with the rest of the country, as is
currently the case with revenue from existing
resources.
Barzani also rejected a larger role for Iraq's
neighbors, of whom Turkey and Iran are sworn foes of
the Kurds, and turned down negotiating with the
insurgency -- all major recommendations of the ISG.
Iraq's Kurds were incensed that the report suggested
giving the Iraqi central government control over all
oil revenue, blocking a key desire of the Kurds in
their region. The report also recommended delaying
beyond next year a referendum in Kirkuk on whether
the oil-rich northern city should join Iraq's
Kurdistan region, a move that would strengthen
Kurdish autonomy.
"It's very negative," said Mahmoud Othman, an
influential Kurdish legislator. "I never thought
such a negative thing would come out from U.S.
consensus. Kurds have been friendly for Americans.
Why we should be rewarded like that?"
Barzani also:
Criticized the study group members for "failing to
visit Iraqi Kurdistan," calling that "a major
shortcoming that adversely influenced the
credibility of the assessment."
Rejected the call for a review, with the help of
U.N. experts, of the Iraqi constitution.
Blasted a proposal to put "oil revenues under the
power of the central government and redistribute it
in accordance with the ratio of the population."
Opposed any delay in implementing a constitutional
provision in regard to Kirkuk.
Stated that Iraqis should look first to national
reconciliation before the nation's problems are
solved by others.
Said the democratic progress of Iraq and Kurdistan
should not be put aside, recalling previous
elections and the country's constitution, which
"received the support of more than 80 percent of the
people in Iraq."
Barzani said he would urge "all Iraqi groups, who
believe in the political process, the constitution
and a democratic federal Iraq, to take radical steps
to solve these problems so that they can be freed
from the solutions of the wrong recommendations of
the regional and international countries."
AFP | CNN | IHT | Agencies
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 