March 11 Agreement was historic in Kurdish efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully: PM Barzani 

The Kurdish people continue to struggle from the repercussions of that conflict, and have not yet been compensated, the premier said.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is pictured during a televised address. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is pictured during a televised address. (Photo: KRG)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Marking the 53rd anniversary of the March 11 Agreement struck between the Kurdish leadership and the former Iraqi regime, the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said the accord was historic proof of the nation’s efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully.

The agreement “partially” recognized the Kurdish people’s political and cultural rights, Barzani said, and noted that the document was a “significant achievement” of our nation. 

“[It] is historic evidence of the success of the Kurdish people’s will and its peaceful endeavor for a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue,” PM Barzani added. 

While the accord was supposed to be fully implemented within four years, Iraqi officials soon withdrew their commitment. This eventually led to the resurgence of armed conflict in 1974, known as the Second Iraqi-Kurdish War.

The Kurdish people continue to struggle from the repercussions of that conflict, and have not yet been compensated, the premier said.

He stressed that the Kurdistan Region will continue to defend its constitutional rights and to resolve outstanding issues in accordance with the 2003 Iraqi constitution. 

The 1970 agreement came after 11 years of intense conflict between the Kurdish Peshmerga, led by the legendary Mustafa Barzani, and the then-Iraqi regime.

According to the agreement, the Iraqi regime, for the first time, recognized Kurdish political and cultural rights, including granting administrative autonomy, adding Kurdish studies to the education curriculum, and permitting Kurdish officials to participate in the then-Iraqi government.

The Kurdistan Region recognizes March 11 as a national holiday in honor of the historic occasion.