|
Interview: Kurdistan Government's chief
coordinator to the United Nations
27.12.2007
|
|
|
|
December
27, 2007
WASHINGTON, -- There is one Iraq, but there
are also two: the northern, potentially oil-rich
region controlled by Iraq's Kurds, and the rest of
Iraq. That, says the Kurdish liaison to U.N. efforts
in Iraqi Kurdistan, is how the international
community should view it.
"We say Iraq could not be treated as one simple
state," said Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Regional
Government's chief coordinator for U.N. activities.
"The Republic of Iraq is not only the ministers in
Baghdad. We have ministers in Erbil" -- the regional
capital -- "which are sovereign, independent in
terms of their policies and in terms of their areas
of support."
Zebari, in an interview with United Press
International in the KRG's Washington office,
explained the KRG's view of its status in Iraq,
which he said is being largely supported by the
United Nations. Baghdad, however, is a different
story. |
Dr Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Regional
Government’s (KRG) Coordinator to the United Nations |
"The problem in Baghdad is the mentality that has to
accept that Iraq is composed of different
structures," he said.
The provincial and regional governments rely on
funding and assistance, from security to the annual
budget, from Baghdad, though the international
community still plays the largest role in
reconstruction, as well as providing something like
a guiding arm for Baghdad's work.
Iraq's Kurds, whose three provinces they control
make up Iraq's only official region, are a special
case. Abused, like many other Iraqis, by Saddam
Hussein, they are against a centrally controlled
government of Iraq (though just two main Kurdish
factions dominate Kurdish politics).www.ekurd.net
The semi-autonomy since
1991, under international protection following the
war, has given them a head start.
The economy is moving forward and the area is under
the mostly successful protection of the Peshmerga,
the Iraqi Kurds' officially sanctioned militia.
Politics, though often controversial, have also made
headway in the KRG.
Kurdish leaders have forced a bittersweet
relationship with Baghdad. The Kurdish coalition of
parliamentarians is needed for the ruling government
to maintain its control. But the KRG has irked many
allies and rivals by moving unilaterally to develop
its potential bonanza of an oil sector instead of
allowing the country's oil policy to be decided and
administered from the center.
Oil sales make up nearly all of the federal budget,
which places control over the oil a top power
struggle priority.
While nearly all of Iraq's proven oil reserves are
outside of the KRG's area, limited studies and
geologic formation suggest enough that the regional
oil minister says the KRG will produce a million
barrels within five years.
That timeline could move up if the KRG annexes
Kirkuk, the oil-rich area just outside its official
borders. Historically Kurdish, it was separated from
Kurdish leadership by Saddam Hussein, and residents
were displaced when the dictator moved in Arabs.
A deal was reached last week to delay by six months
a referendum, scheduled by the 2005 Constitution to
take place by this year's end, to allow voters of
Kirkuk to decide the future of the area. The KRG
hopes voters will decide to join their area. Kirkuk
contains an estimated 12 percent of Iraq's proven
reserves.
Recent meetings between national and regional
leadership in Baghdad over the controversial KRG oil
deals produced no agreements, however.
Last week KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani
warned of "change" in the government if the KRG's
demands are not met, The Telegraph reports.
When asked about the comments, Zebari said, "There
is a clear article within the Constitution of Iraq
that says very clearly that Iraqi Kurdistan people
have full right to self determination. And on the
basis of any disagreements in the future
relationship with the central authority, the people
of Iraqi Kurdistan have full right to self
determination."
He said Iraq's Kurds are not looking to declare
independence, believed to be the end goal of the
tens of millions of Kurds spanning across Iraq,
Turkey, Iran, Syria and Armenia.
"The policy of KRG is not for any division from
Iraq. It's to support the unity of the country on
the basis of democracy and full sharing of power,"
said Zebari, who was quick to correct a reference to
him as the KRG's representative to the United
Nations.
He said he's merely playing a role as an Iraqi Kurd,
inside today's Iraq. Under his watch there are now
200 local staff working for the United Nations based
in Irbil. And it's the KRG, not Iraq proper, that
coordinates with the United Nations, though the KRG
is part of an Iraqi delegation to the United
Nations.
"The KRG, it is a functioning authority within the
Republic of Iraq, which has been recognized by the
law of the country," Zebari said, referring to the
2005 constitution. "It has its own budget, it has
its own priorities and needs. Because we have passed
through most of the emergency relief programs, while
other parts of the country, like Najaf and Karbala
and Baghdad even today, the priority is relief
programs.www.ekurd.net
But in the Kurdistan
region, because of the prosperity and security and
safety for the last 13 years, today what we need is
more mid-term, long-term projects."
"Iraq today goes through a transitional period,"
Zebari said, detailing the Kurdish view of the needs
of Iraq, which he says is not a one size fits all.
"Transitional period needs all different sort of
assistance: political assistance, reconstruction and
humanitarian."
UPI
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 