Kurdish, Shiite leaders discuss loss of trust in Iraq, Kurdish independence

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish President Masoud Barzani discussed the reasons behind the loss of trust between Erbil and Baghdad in a meeting with visiting Ammar al-Hakim, leading a high-level Shiite delegation to the Kurdistan Region. Barzani stressed the need for a resolution which would prevent the return of tragedy that has historically plagued the Kurdish nation.

Barzani, along with representatives of all the major Kurdish parties except for Gorran, welcomed Hakim to the Kurdistan Region on Saturday. Hakim is in the region promoting the national reconciliation initiative developed by the Shiite National Alliance. It is a plan to rebuild and reunite Iraq after ISIS.

In their meeting, Barzani highlighted the suffering the Kurdish nation has endured from the establishment of Iraq up until the collapse of the ex-Baathist regime. He also mentioned violations committed against the Kurds after 2003.

Barzani said that the Kurdistan Region did all it could to build a new Iraq, but, as before, there were plots to sabotage the partnership, violate the Kurdish nation’s rights, impose the majority language, and lastly cut the bread of the people of Kurdistan, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

These events led to deepening tensions and damaging trust between both sides, Barzani said.

Hakim echoed the need to review ties between the Shiite Alliance and Kurdish parties, stressing solving the issues that exist between them. Shiites have "historically-rooted" relations with Kurds with respect to facing challenges and fighting dictatorship in the country, he said.

To bring these problem to an end, Hakim suggested, there should be joint committees formed in order to facilitate dialogue between the groups.

According to the presidency’s statement, the Shiite leader expressed his appreciation for the Peshmerga and Iraqi army’s victories against ISIS and their collaboration in the fight to retake Mosul from the extremist group.

Hakim also maintained that his visit to Erbil was following up on developments from Barzani’s visit to Baghdad in September 2016.

Fazil Mirani, secretary of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) politburo, said that they had concerns about Hakim’s national reconciliation plan and clearly stated them in the meeting.

“Unlike before, we did not shamefully talk about independence as we all have the right to talk about our right to self-determination,” said Mirani.

Ali Allaq, a leader within the Shiite Alliance, said “We need new perceptions and we listened to the feedback with an open heart."

Al-Hakim has been working on the project for more than a year, an initiative which he said includes the Kurdistan Region. He has met with Iraqi parties and sought the support of such neighboring and regional countries as Iran and Jordan, as well the Arab League.

The initiative’s core principle is to build future relations between Iraq’s different religious and ethnic communities and political parties.

According to information obtained by Rudaw, Hakim will meet with representatives of Gorran on Monday in Sulaimani.

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