Masoud Barzani calls on Kurdish deputies in Iraq to defend interests of Kurds

The Kurdish leader and the delegation from the Iraqi Council of Representatives “spoke of ways to enhance such relations in pursuit of the mutual interests of both sides.”

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, has called on his party deputies in the Iraqi Parliament to defend the interests of the people of Kurdistan.

Barzani on Sunday received a delegation from the Iraqi Council of Representatives which consisted of KDP members in the Iraqi government.

The Kurdish leader and the delegation “reviewed some of the issues between the Kurdistan Region and the Federal Government [of Iraq],” a statement on Barzani’s website read. They also “spoke of ways to enhance such relations in pursuit of the mutual interests of both sides.”

Ties between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government significantly deteriorated in the aftermath of the Kurdistan Region’s historic independence referendum in September 2017.

Baghdad rejected the validity of the vote and imposed a set of punitive measures on the autonomous Kurdish region, including an international flight ban and the use of military force to push Peshmerga from disputed territories, notably in Kirkuk on Oct. 16, 2017.

Following the formation of the new Iraqi government headed by Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi, Kurdish leaders have been in constant talks with Baghdad to resolve differences, including the return of Peshmerga and Kurdish security to disputed areas.

During Sunday’s meeting, Barzani “emphasized the importance of all KDP members at the Council of Representatives and urged them to defend the rights of the people of Kurdistan as well as other parts of Iraq.”

“The President also encouraged the attendees to enhance the bilateral relations with other blocs within the Council of Representatives,” the statement concluded.