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Iraqi PM rejects division of Iraq
28.9.2007
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September 28, 2007
BAGHDAD, -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
on Friday rejected a U.S. Senate proposal calling
for the decentralization of Iraq's government and
giving more control to the country's ethnically
divided regions, calling it a "catastrophe."
The measure, whose primary sponsors included
presidential hopeful Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.,
calls for Iraq to be divided into federal regions
for the country's Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish
communities in a power-sharing agreement similar to
Bosnia in the 1990s.
The U.S. Senate overwhelming
approved a plan by Biden that essentially calls for
breaking Iraq into three sections: Kurd, Sunni, and
Shia. While the amendment is nonbinding, it's the
first measure to pass, (vote was 75-23,) that goes
against the administration's war strategy.
In his first comments since the measure passed
Wednesday, al-Maliki strongly rejected the idea,
echoing the earlier sentiments of his country's vice
president. |
Iraqi Prime minister Jawad Nuri al-Maliki
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"It is an Iraqi affair dealing with Iraqis," he said
while on a return flight to Baghdad after appearing
at the U.N. General Assembly in New York. "Iraqis
are eager for Iraq's unity. ... Dividing Iraq is a
problem and a decision like that would be a
catastrophe."
Iraq's constitution lays down a federal system,
allowing Shiites in the south and Kurds in the north
to set up regions with considerable autonomous
powers. But Iraq's turmoil has been fueled by the
deep divisions among politicians over the details of
how it work, including the division of lucrative oil
resources.
Many Shiite and Kurdish leaders are eager to
implement the provisions. But the Sunni Arab
minority fears being left in an impoverished central
zone without resources. Others fear a sectarian
split-up would harden the violent divisions among
Iraq's fractious ethnic and religious groups.
The Iraqi
Kurdistan Government applauds
the U.S. Senate on passing the legislation for
federal Iraq.
“We are very pleased that our friends in the Senate
recognize and support our long efforts to help
democracy, tolerance and freedom take root in Iraq,”
said Qubad Talabany, the Washington representative
for the Kurdistan Regional Government.
On Thursday, Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi
said decisions about Iraq must remain in the hands
of its citizens and the spokesman for the supporters
of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr agreed.
"We demand the Iraqi government to stand against
such project and to condemn it officially," Liwa
Semeism told the AP.
"Such a decision does not represent the aspirations
of all Iraqi people and it is considered an
interference in Iraq's internal affairs."
The prime minister also said he discussed the role
of U.S. troops and private security contractors in
the country, stressing that Iraq is a sovereign
nation and it should have control over its own
security.
Security "is something related to Iraq's sovereignty
and its independence and it should not be violated,"
he said.
AP | KRG | ABC
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