Masoud Barzani discusses Iraqi gov. formation, Kirkuk situation with UN envoy

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Former Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on Sunday discussed government formation efforts and the current situation in the disputed territories with the United Nations envoy in Iraq.

Both sides addressed the political situation in Iraq and the region, the efforts being made to hold the Iraqi Council of Representatives’ first meeting following the May 12 national election, and the formation of a new Iraqi government, a statement released by Barzani’s press office read.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Jan Kubis, highlighted the Kurdistan Region’s importance in Iraq’s political development and Barzani’s pivotal role “in resolving the equations in the political process” in the country.

He expressed the UN’s concerns about the political climate in the country after the May 12 election and called for a real partnership between all of Iraq’s components.

Barzani, who was the President of the Kurdistan Region from 2005 until 2017, underlined the reasons that led to the emergence of the deep-rooted issues in the country, the violations in implementing Iraq’s Constitution, and the absence of partnership over the past decade.

“The Kurdistan Region’s most significant priority is the program and approach to governance, which must be built on the three principles of partnership, agreement, and balance, not the person or his position,” Barzani said, referring to the post of the Prime Minister of Iraq.

The Kurdish leader stressed the need for clear guarantees and mechanisms to implement and comply with the agreements, through the three principles mentioned above, to prevent the path of unilateralism and marginalization of the Iraqi components.

Both sides also discussed the current situation in the disputed territories. Barzani said the Kurdish parties’ main priority is to stabilize the situation in Kirkuk and other areas through the implementation of the Iraqi Constitution or a bilateral agreement between Erbil and Baghdad.

The former Kurdistan Region President informed the UN envoy that the current situation imposed by force of arms and occupation is unacceptable, calling for a normalization of the condition.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany