Kirkuk Council to discuss referendum on determining province’s future

KIRKUK, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kirkuk Provincial Council (KPC) is set to meet on Tuesday to suggest a referendum in Kirkuk within the framework of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution related to the disputed territories.

The Council members are expected to discuss the Iraqi parliament’s recent decision regarding the removal of the Kurdistan flag on all state buildings in Kirkuk.

The KPC members also plan on addressing a referendum for Kirkuk within the framework of Article 140, related to the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government of Iraq, KPC member Almas Fadhil told Kurdistan24 on Monday.

Article 140 consists of two parts. The first part states, “The executive authority shall undertake the necessary steps to complete the implementation of the requirements of all subparagraphs of Article 58 of the Transitional Administrative Law.”

The second part of the article is related to the mechanism of holding a referendum in the disputed territories, including Kirkuk.

“The responsibility placed upon the executive branch of the Iraqi Transitional Government stipulated in Article 58 of the Transitional Administrative Law shall extend and continue to the executive authority elected in accordance with this Constitution, provided that it accomplishes completely (normalization and census and concludes with a referendum in Kirkuk and other disputed territories to determine the will of their citizens), by a date not to exceed the 31st of December 2007,” the constitution reads.

Kirkuk and KRG officials often criticize the federal government of Iraq for not implementing the article.  

Kirkuk Province is an oil-rich area located in the south of the Kurdistan Region and north of Iraq.

Although Kurds make up a majority of the population, Kirkuk is a diverse region with different ethnic and religious backgrounds including Turkmen, Arabs, and Christians.

The Kurdistan Region is planning to hold an independence referendum on seceding from Iraq.

However, it is unclear whether the disputed territories such as Kirkuk will be included.

“Soon, Kurdish parties will form a joint high committee for referendum preparations,” Omed Khoshnaw, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) faction in the Kurdistan Parliament, told a Kurdistan24 correspondent during a press conference in Kirkuk on Monday.

“They will discuss the inclusion of the disputed territories in the Kurdistan independence referendum,” he added.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany