Time for ‘thorough review’ of Erbil-Baghdad relations, says Masoud Barzani
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – President of the KDP, which came out top of the Kurdish parties with 25 seats in the Iraqi parliament, said he hopes for a “thorough review” of relations between the regional and central governments.
“Now that the elections for Iraq’s Council of Representatives [parliament] have been conducted and completed, it is my sincere hope that the Erbil-Baghdad relations will undergo a thorough review in pursuit of a mutually beneficial path,” tweeted Masoud Barzani on Saturday morning.
“After nearly a century of injustices, it is imperative that Baghdad begins to fathom our righteous cause,” he continued, pledging a commitment to dialogue in order to reach a solution.
Relations between Erbil and Baghdad plummeted when Kurds voted for independence from Iraq for the Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories last fall. Barzani had championed the independence referendum during his tenure as president of the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
Baghdad and the international community rejected the vote and the fall out exacerbated rifts between Kurdish parties who went into the Iraqi parliamentary elections divided.
Kurdish parties have collectively secured 58 seats.
“If the political entities of Kurdistan remain united, then we will succeed at protecting our people’s rights,” Barzani said.
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“Now that the elections for Iraq’s Council of Representatives [parliament] have been conducted and completed, it is my sincere hope that the Erbil-Baghdad relations will undergo a thorough review in pursuit of a mutually beneficial path,” tweeted Masoud Barzani on Saturday morning.
“After nearly a century of injustices, it is imperative that Baghdad begins to fathom our righteous cause,” he continued, pledging a commitment to dialogue in order to reach a solution.
Relations between Erbil and Baghdad plummeted when Kurds voted for independence from Iraq for the Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories last fall. Barzani had championed the independence referendum during his tenure as president of the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
Baghdad and the international community rejected the vote and the fall out exacerbated rifts between Kurdish parties who went into the Iraqi parliamentary elections divided.
Kurdish parties have collectively secured 58 seats.
“If the political entities of Kurdistan remain united, then we will succeed at protecting our people’s rights,” Barzani said.