Main ruling parties in Kurdistan agree to hold independence referendum

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Region’s two main ruling parties on Sunday agreed to hold an independence referendum in the Region.

The Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani chaired a joint meeting between the political bureaus of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

The groups discussed several topics including holding a referendum and Baghdad’s reaction on raising the Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk.

Following the meeting, the KDP and PUK released a joint statement, outlining they discussed the independence referendum in detail based on the right of self-determination of the people of Kurdistan.

The report added it was the right of the people of Kurdistan to determine their political and administrative way of life through a referendum and independent state.

A joint high committee of two main ruling parties in the Region, KDP and PUK, will discuss the independence referendum with Kurdistan’s political and national parties to form a committee and set the timing and mechanism for the matter, the statement read.

Regarding the decision of the Iraqi Parliament against the Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk, the joint KDP and PUK statement said raising the Kurdish flag over governmental buildings was legal and constitutional.

“For many years, the Iraqi government has been avoiding the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution,” the statement said.

“Therefore, as it is the right of the Iraqi government to raise its flag, it is also the right of Kurdistan to raise theirs,” the report continued.

According to the statement, both sides will join efforts to expedite the process of resolving the political, legal, and economic issues, and would cooperate to resolve all the difficulties and barriers.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany