US praises Kurds' role in Iraqi parliament

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – A Kurdish MP in the Iraqi parliament said that the US has thanked the Kurdistan Region for playing a positive role as the Iraqi president suggested a roadmap to resolve the political crisis in the country.   

Ala Talabani, an MP in the Iraqi parliament, representing Kurdistan Patriotic Union (PUK), told Kurdistan24 that those who held sit-ins in the Iraqi parliament and those who are calling for a change in the parliament leadership deviate from constitutional and legal principles.

Iraq’s ruling system is parliamentary which requires its legitimate institutions remain active; otherwise, it is very dangerous, and so the Iraqi president is trying to bring legitimacy back to the parliament, according to Talabani. 

"US officials in Baghdad thank the positive role the Kurds are playing to tackle the current political crisis in Iraq,” she added.

In a statement released on the Iraqi Presidency website on Monday, Fuad Masum initiated a roadmap to resolve the current political crisis in the country. The roadmap was to be implemented on Tuesday by holding a session with the participation of all conflicting sides. However, the parliament session was suspended due to issues between the political parties.

On Tuesday, Salim al-Jibouri met with the head of Kurdish blocs in the Iraqi parliament and praised their role and position in the parliament. Jibouri stressed that he will not allow the kidnapping of the will of the parliament by a group of MPs who want to impose their will by force.

Although the parliament sessions have been suspended due to unknown notice by the parliament speaker, the MPs holding sit-ins in the parliament say they will convene a session on Thursday.

Iraq's powerful Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr released a statement on Wednesday calling the MPs to end the sit-in in the Iraqi parliament.

Reporting by Baxtiyar Goran
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany and Ava Homa