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Kurdish plan ignored as Iraqi government
formation crisis continues
2.9.2010
By Sirwan Gharib |
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September 2, 2010
ERBIL-Hewlêr,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — The Kurdistan Blocs
Coalition (KBC) ’s Negotiation Paper was submitted
three weeks ago in an attempt to resolve ‘the
current crisis of Iraqi government formation’ and to
set-out the Kurdish negotiating position. The
19-paragraph document contains a new Kurdish
compromise proposal for forming the government and a
set of demands that they want met in return for
their own support.
The paper demands the Republic’s Presidency is given
to the Kurds, that a National Security Council and
Federal Council are formed with veto power remaining
in the Presidency until the formal commencement of
the two councils’ operations and the reservation of
a number of sovereign ministries for Kurds.
The
paper also stresses the importance of implementing
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, relating to
the disputed areas, endorsement of the oil and gas
and water resources laws, as well as demands
relating to the Kurdish armed forces Peshmerga’s
relationship with the Iraqi army.
Top of the list, though, the Kurds seek
acknowledgment of their power, reserving the right
to withdraw from the government if it fails to
implement the program or violates the constitution.
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File photo |
With the exception of some informal statements on
the document, the Kurds still await a formal
response.
There are some positive stances regarding our
stances, but nothing official yet,’ said Sami
Shorsho, a member of the Iraqi Parliament for the
Kurdistan Alliance.
Nouri al-Maliki, in an interview with al-Hurra
Satellite Station, promised that his State of Law
Coalition would respond to the paper.
‘It represents the viewpoints of the Kurdish blocs
on state building. It contains suggestions rather
than conditions. We have our reservations on some of
the points raised and we will officially respond to
this document,’ he said.
Muhammad Allawi, a leading member of Iyad Allawi's
Iraqiya list, spoke of one particular paragraph
‘violating the Iraqi constitution,’ referring
specifically to the Kurds’ reservation of the right
to withdraw from the government.
‘If the Kurds have this right, then others should
also have it,’ he complained.
Maliki’s coalition, in a statement from Abdul-Hadi
al-Hassani, said it welcomed ‘any proposal which
aims at finding solutions to the Iraqi crisis. Some
points raised are legitimate but other points need
to be discussed,’ he said.
Some fear the paper could further complicate the
government formation crisis which has continued for
almost six months since parliamentary elections in
March failed to produce any clear winner.
Jameel Bateekh, a leading member of Iraqiya’s list,
said that the bloc will consider all of the demands
contained in the document but he played down its
significance, stating that it does not offer any
concrete, new solutions to the crisis.
‘It only has suggestions in it. There is nothing
there that will impact on the deadlocked
negotiations,’ he warned.
Saradar Abdalla, a member of the KBC negotiating
delegation told Niqash that the paper aimed ‘to
activate the Iraqi political project,’ adding that
ideas discussed in negotiations before the paper’s
release ‘were only meant to explore possibilities.
Things are different now.’
Azad Jandiyani, the PUK’s official spokesperson told
Niqash that the proposals ‘will draw a new road map
for the government formation and will break the
current deadlock.’
Some sources suggest that one demand in the paper is
that Massoud Barzani becomes a member of Iraq’s new
National Security Council but Jandayani did not
confirm this. He focused instead on the paper’s
ability to invigorate the political process at a key
moment in Iraq’s political life.
‘All the blocs without exception see the paper’s
timing as perfect. Their stances differ on some of
the points but it has at least established a
dialogue platform for Iraqi blocs to negotiate with
each other,’ he said.
The KBC is in a good position to force negotiations.
It holds 57 of the Iraqi parliament’s 325 total
seats. In its ranks are the Kurdistan Alliance, made
up of the KDP and the PUK,www.ekurd.netthe Change Movement (Goran),
the Kurdistan Islamic Union and Kuridistan Islamic
Group. However, six months have passed with many new
twists and turns to the crisis and no actual
resolution. There is little reason for Iraqis to
expect that this document promises anything
different.
Copyright, respective
author or news agency, niqash org
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