Barzani: Violation of Iraqi Constitution push Kurdistan to independence

Kurdistan Region officials blame the Iraqi Federal Government for constitutional violations.

Baxtiyar Goran 2017/06/20 19:13

kurdistan Kurdistan Independence Referendum UNAMI Iraq

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) on Tuesday met with the Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to discuss the regional developments and the independence referendum.

In a meeting with Jan Kubis, Head of UNAMI in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, Chancellor of the KRSC, said that Kurdistan’s independence referendum is a democratic mechanism to identify the preference of people of Kurdistan.

Barzani added that now and in the future, Kurdistan would be a peaceful factor in resolving regional issues, stating that constitutional means have been taken into account in the matter of the referendum.

“Baghdad’s non-abidance by the constitution as mentioned has opened the door for the people of Kurdistan to determine their future,” Barzani said.

He reiterated that independence referendum will be through peaceful means and dialogue in order to reach a result where the will of people is respected.

Kurdistan Region officials blame the Iraqi Federal Government for constitutional violations of the most important components of federalism: Lack of revenue sharing, undecided borders, denying Kurdistan’s budget share, not implementing Article 140, and not creating the Federal Council.

Article one of the Iraqi permanent constitution says, “…this Constitution is a guarantor of the unity of Iraq.”

The UN delegation headed by Jan Kubis emphasized the importance of having an active dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve issues before and after holding a referendum, hoping that both sides resolve their issues through peaceful means.

Earlier today Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani received the UNAMI delegation in Salahadin, Erbil, where the security and political situation in Iraq, the process of holding the referendum and the political process in the Kurdistan Region were discussed, Kurdistan Presidency said in a statement.

Editing by Ava Homa