ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Gorran has called for the dissolution of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet and the establishment of an interim government following Iraq’s takeover of Kirkuk and the disputed areas.
The party’s National Assembly called for the current government cabinet, led by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), to be replaced by an interim “national salvation government” that would enter into dialogue with Baghdad and prepare for elections.
Talks with the central government “must be on the basis of the Iraqi constitution and the protection of the Kurdistan Region entity, and nothing else,” the party stated.
Gorran had called for the formation of an interim government last week.
Gorran also called on Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, of the KDP, and his deputy Kosrat Rasul Ali, of the PUK, to leave office, saying they “have no legitimacy and they have to immediately resign their posts.”
Barzani’s term has twice been controversially extended.
These measures were part of a series of steps Gorran believes the Kurdistan Region must now take, as outlined in a published statement on Sunday evening.
The party also condemned the High Political Council that was formed out of the High Referendum Council. Gorran said the members of the council were seeking to replace legitimate institutions and called for its dissolution.
Regarding last week’s events in Kirkuk and the disputed areas, Gorran called on Baghdad to “end its incursions into the cities and towns of Kurdistan and form an investigating committee to compensate the people who were harmed in Tuz Khurmatu, Kirkuk, Khanaqin, Jalawla, Makhmour, Shingal, Zummar, and all the other areas.”
It condemned “any sort of aggression” against the people and demanded perpetrators be prosecuted.
Gorran also reiterated its call for the presidency law to be overturned in favour of a parliamentary system of governance and urged the parliament to convene “to help our nation escape from this dangerous situation.”
The party committed to mobilize groups and parties, working with the Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal), to achieve these points.
Gorran and Komal have resisted coordination with the other major parties of the Kurdistan Region throughout the referendum process.
On Sunday, the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) joined with 30 other political parties to state they will not give up on the independence vote, but are ready for unconditional dialogue with Baghdad. Gorran and Komal did not attend the meeting.
KDP and Gorran met in Sulaimani after the funeral of PUK leader Jalal Talabani where they had “frank discussions” in what was hoped to be the first step towards mending relations between the two parties. Disagreements between the two led to the shutting down of parliament two years ago. Parliament was reactivated in the summer in order to approve holding the September 25 independence referendum. Gorran has boycotted the sessions.
Last updated at 8:32 pm
