The Kurdistan Region must write a constitution 'that everyone can agree on:' Nechirvan Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said on Wednesday that the autonomous region of Iraq will begin to take practical steps toward writing a new constitution in close cooperation with its parliament.

"There has been a lot of talk about unity and the constitution, but what I want to say is that the constitution is a mechanism for a specific goal, to organize political rule in the region, for the law to prevail and for everyone to feel safe in the region," he said while participating in the "Unity and Constitution" conference being held in Erbil. 

"We have various groups in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and we do not describe them as minorities because the beauty of the region is in its mosaic," he said to the crowd, adding, "The beauty of Kurdistan can be in the presence of these components and the constitution must provide them with reassurances."

"It will not be for a party, component, or sect, but rather for all the Kurdistanis, and it must be a reflection of all."

His remarks echoed sentiments of “unity in diversity” expressed that day by Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the head of the UN’s Iraq Assistance Mission (UNAMI), at another conference organized by the University of Kurdistan, Hewler’s Center for Regional and International Studies.

 Read More: 'Unity in diversity,’ Iraq’s UN chief tells Kurdish political elite discussing constitution

Barzani continued, "We will start by taking practical steps to write the constitution with the parliament and the regional government and for it to be a constitution that sends hope to all those who live in Kurdistan."

"Our duties make it incumbent upon us to be allied and united," he said. "We have made great gains with the blood and sacrifices of our martyrs, but this does not mean that we do not have problems."

He pointed out that, "in many areas, we see that the Kurdistan Region has witnessed a wide and great development, and certainly this came with unity of the political forces and the support of the people in Kurdistan."

"We will write this constitution, but it must be a constitution that everyone can agree on," he argued.

"A sensitive stage is ahead of us, which is the stage of the Iraqi elections. All parties are trying to rearrange themselves, the leader concluded.

"With such differences, we will not be able to pass this stage, he concluded. "If we unite our ranks, however, we will certainly be able to overcome all the problems in Baghdad."

Editing by John J. Catherine