President Barzani: "We Hold No Veto," But Demand Full Commitment to Constitution and Federalism
President Masoud Barzani stated the KDP will only ally with parties committed to constitutional federalism, including implementing Oil/Gas Law and Federation Council. He confirmed this during a meeting with the UK Ambassador.
Erbil (Kurdistan24) - President Masoud Barzani announced that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) does not possess a veto over any political faction in the formation of the new Iraqi government. He emphasized that the party's fundamental criterion is a sincere belief in federalism and a commitment to the letter and spirit of the constitution.
President Barzani's remarks came during a meeting on Sunday, in Pirmam with Irfan Siddiq, the British Ambassador to Iraq. Ambassador Siddiq extended his congratulations to President Barzani on the success of the electoral process and the KDP's victory, which garnered over one million votes.
According to a statement from Barzani headquarters, the British Ambassador congratulated the President on the successful Iraqi Council of Representatives elections and the KDP's significant win. He also expressed hope that the post-election political process in Iraq would proceed on a correct path to form a federal government with the participation of all political parties.
In response, President Barzani thanked the British Ambassador and noted that despite obstacles, the KDP achieved a major victory thanks to the strong trust of the people of Kurdistan. He described the post-election phase as crucial, stating that to rectify the course of governance in Iraq and implement the constitution, all political parties must work diligently, foster closer ties, and learn from past mistakes.
President Barzani reiterated that for the KDP and the Kurdistan Region, the implementation of the constitution will be the primary basis for dialogue in forming the next Iraqi government. "We have no veto on any person or party," he affirmed. "What is important to us is that any party has full faith in federalism based on the constitution, believes in implementing the constitution, passing laws related to its articles, and enforcing those laws that have been enacted but not yet implemented, such as the Federation Council Law and the Oil and Gas Law. Any party that commits to implementing the constitution will be our closest ally and that of the Kurdistan Region."
Regarding internal matters in the Kurdistan Region, President Barzani mentioned that they had shown great flexibility before the Iraqi parliamentary elections, and he had previously stated that the pre-election circumstances would not necessarily remain the same afterward. He stressed the importance of keeping the doors of dialogue open to resolve issues collaboratively. On the unity of the Kurdish stance in Baghdad, President Barzani pointed out that its foundation lies in a shared belief in the strategic issues of the Kurdistan Region, federalism, and Baghdad's full commitment to all articles of the constitution.
The relationship between the United Kingdom, the Kurdistan Region, and Iraq was another key topic of the meeting. Both sides agreed on the importance of continuing and strengthening these relations across all fields.
