KRG PM: Raising Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk strengthens coexistence

All components of Kirkuk have been protected by the Peshmerga forces under the Kurdistan flag.

Baxtiyar Goran 2017/03/30 19:39

kurdistan Kurdistan Kirkuk Peshmerga Kurdistan Flag

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Region Premier reacts over the concerns of raising Kurdistan flag in the province of Kirkuk, stating that the decision will strengthen coexistence in the city.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, in a statement released on the KRG website on Wednesday congratulated people of Kirkuk and Kurdistan Region for passing the motion to raise Kurdistan flag over governmental buildings in Kirkuk.
Barzani said that raising Kurdistan flag will protect the coexistence among the people of Kirkuk and will strengthen the cooperation between all components in administrating the province of Kirkuk.

Kurdistan Premier blamed the Iraqi authorities for not abiding by the Iraqi Constitution’s Article of the 140 to resolve the Kirkuk issue over the past 14 years, stating through that Baghdad wanted to use the issue for political purposes and to keep instability of the areas.

Barzani added since the withdrawal of Iraqi army in Kirkuk due to Islamic State (IS) attack in mid-2014, all components of Kirkuk have been protected by the Peshmerga forces under the Kurdistan flag.

The KRG PM assures people of Kirkuk that the “official and righteous” decision to raise Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk would broaden the steps towards coordination between all components, stating that peaceful coexistence is a deeply-rooted principle among all people of Kurdistan.

On Tuesday, Kirkuk Provincial Council approved the raising of the Kurdistan flag on all governmental buildings in the province after a majority vote.

Some Turkmen and Arab members of the council boycotted the session after Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim rejected their request to postpone the meeting for the following week.

On March 14, Governor Karim asked the head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council to hold a special session on this issue to vote on a motion to allow Kurdistan flag to be raised alongside with the Iraqi flag.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany