Barzani to Arab League Chief: Blame should be put on Iraq not Kurds
Since the creation of Iraq, all its rulers have disappointed us in regard to decentralization of power, autonomy, federalism, and building democracy and a real partnership, Barzani explained.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region President on Thursday responded to a letter by the Head of Arab League that had called on the Kurdistan Region to refrain from holding the independence referendum.
Arab League Chief Ahmed Abul Gheit urged the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani in a letter to cancel the independence referendum scheduled for September 25, saying he fears further complication of the regional and Kurdish situation.
Abul Gheit said Independence referendum requires greater coordination and consensus and any such move without Baghdad’s consent will further aggravate the situation, pushing all sides to take tough stances that would not serve the future of Iraqis, including that of the Kurds.
Responding to the letter, President Barzani said in a statement that the Kurdistan Region is working on turning the expected conflict into a fruitful cooperation.
“We cannot accept dependency and exclusion,” he said.
Barzani added that "the blame should be put on our friends in Iraq not on us since it was them who pushed us towards seeking that road [independence referendum]."
Barzani referred to the historical relations between the Kurds and Arabs and how Kurds have tried to build a real partnership with them, only to no avail.
President Barzani mentioned all previous Iraqi governments suppressed Kurds, highlighting the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein’s regime in the 1980s when he used chemical weapons on Kurdish towns and villages.
Despite all that, following the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime in 2003, Kurds tried to create a state where democracy, real partnership, and true citizenship prevail despite enjoying an autonomous rule since 1991, Barzani said.
President added that Kurds contributed to the successive Iraqi governments after 2003, writing down the Constitution, building up the Iraqi army but Baghdad violated all agreements and constitutional terms related to Kurdistan.
Since the creation of Iraq, all its rulers have disappointed us in regard to decentralization of power, autonomy, federalism, and building democracy and a real partnership, Barzani explained.
He insisted on the Kurdistan Region’s position on holding an independence referendum, concluding that our only way to achieve this would be through dialogue with Baghdad for "We believe in peaceful coexistence and will utilize all civilized means to exercise the right of self-determination."
Editing by Ava Homa