Hoshyar Zebari Says No Government Without Iraqiya

Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd, Foreign Minister of Iraq, speaks to Rudaw in Erbil about the formation of a new government. ------- Photo/Rudaw.

ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan: Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd, is the Foreign Minister of Iraq. In an exclusive interview in Kurdish with Rudaw, Zebari predicts that the future prime minister will again be a Shiite; the Kurds will get what they are entitled, and without Iraqiya Iraq will witness more violence. Here is a transcript of the interview translated into English.

RUDAW:The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) seems to prefer Maliki’s State of Law and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is trying to make sure that Iraqiya is included in the new government. Can you tell us where does the Kurdish position exactly stand now?

Zebari‪:‬ There are now two ways to form a government‪.‬ The Parliament way ‪,‬ after the ‪[‬Iraqi‪]‬ Federal Court issued a  verdict for the parliament to convene in two weeks time. This way is going towards imposing a solution based on a majority voting. Even a government is not created; the speaker of parliament can at least be elected. The president can also be elected to appoint a candidate to form a government. The other way is an initiative made by His Excellency President of the Kurdistan Region [Massoud Barzani] calling on all wining lists and coalitions to meet altogether. Obviously, they have not met thus far and the meetings have all been bilateral 8 months after the elections. A possible government has to be nationally inclusive. Everybody should be part of the government. The initiative has two phases.  The first phase is about allowing wise leaders of each coalition to meet with others to find common grounds. Clearly, each party or coalition has its own demands. They should be matched in order to come up with a common thing. Whatever is subject to disputes shall be put aside. The issue of posts and this sort of things will be left for the next phase. There should be a leading meeting where all the leaders sit together and decide about a government. Both of these ways have started and kept going along each other. If these two ways match, they would be helpful to each other. It means that they are not two different ways.

RUDAW: Which way does America support?

America is with both of them. They believe that it is no longer acceptable to stay without a government, because they have their own commitments to perform as well. That is why we prefer a government to be formed soon. It [The US] also supports President Barzani’s initiative. The White House issued a statement saying that they support the initiative of President of the Kurdistan region. Also did the United Nations invite me.  The Foreign Minister of Egypt phoned me showing their formal support to the initiative. These all mean that the initiative was a successful step to take. The strong point of the initiative is that Mr. President does not want any of the posts for himself and is an impartial person in the issue. He is not a party in the conflicts over the posts. It is, furthermore, an Iraqi initiative rather than one emanated from outside.

RUDAW: This means that it is not an American agenda?

No. The strong points of the initiative were those we just discussed. And most importantly it is an Iraqi [initiative]. In the recent past, Ankara, Tehran, Damascus, Cairo, Amman, and Riyadh largely became headquarters for Iraqi leaders rather than Baghdad.  But this time the initiative has come from within Iraq and from a leader who has no special interest in and is not part of the struggle over the posts. Besides, he is backed at the Iraqi and international levels. But when a government is going to be formed, it is indeed difficult to predict that. But I think the time to make decisions about everything has really come. 

RUDAW: Is the PUK with the initiative?

Zebari: Yes, it is. Dr. Fuad Masum, who is a representative of the PUK, attended the meeting.

RUDAW:  It has been sometimes said that the US wants to use its pressures through Turkey in order to allow the coalition of Iyad Allawi to participate in the government. So the initiative can be rather a US-Turkish one with which President Barzani agrees as well?

Zebari: America has no initiative. It is true that it has been trying to talk to all sides without preferring anyone to another. But, it has not presented an initiative. America supports President Barzani’s initiative since it would help solve the problems.

RUDAW: So you want to say that the US does not agree with a government formed by Shiites and Kurds?

Zebari: There are some primary things. Any government formed in Iraq must include all the three chief components (Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis) according to their electoral right [the amount of seats they won in the elections]. Because if it were not like this, the elections and democracy would be meaningless. That is why American and the regional countries insist on the inclusion of the three parties. And this is the real problem.

RUDAW: And what about democracy, the right of constituencies, majority and minorities?

Zebari: The situation of Iraq does not accept that. No one can rule Iraq without consensus.

RUDAW: Until when?

Zebari: Until this nation reaches a level of understanding and democracy where opposition can exist, and the authority is handed over peacefully. The principle “the winner takes everything” does not work here in Iraq. It is not only the case in Iraq; it could be the case in many other places. Even in advanced democracies, you would see positions are given to people who belong to other [losing] parties. Therefore, firstly, Iraq has to have a consenus-based government. Secondly, it must include all the three key components. Thirdly, there is a great possibility that the prime minister of next government will be a Shiite.

RUDAW: Before the elections, in another interview with Rudaw you said that the elections would not be for Iraqi people but for the regional countries?

Zebari: Wasn’t that true?

RUDAW: This means that any possible government will be one of the regional countries?

Zebari: If the government had one party and were not nationally inclusive, then we could say: yes, it is a regional government and not an Iraqi one. But if it were formed based on the participation of all the three key components, yes we would say the government is Iraqi. The initiative asserts on that.

RUDAW: It is often said that if Iraqiya were included, the Kurdish chances to attain the post of the president of the republic and other key ministers will be decreased?

Zebari: To be honest, Iraqiya must be part [of the government]. If it were not, there would be problems. There would be more violence.

RUDAW: What will Kurds gain, if Iraqiya is included?

Zebari: Kurds have now a very strong position. We are now the decisive player. We have the keys now. Any party that we support will win. Now, if we side with Maliki, we can form a government in two days’ time. Or if we side with Iraqiya, we will form a government tomorrow with the support of the [Islamic] Supreme Council. No any other party can do that. So certainly, we will get what we are entitled. In the very beginning we presented a paper including 19 demands of ours. That is our criterion for any alliance we from with anyone.