Kurdish Leader Rejects Iraq Report
Dec 8, 7:21 AM (ET)
HAMZA HENDAWI
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, a longtime Washington ally, has angrily rejected the Iraq Study Group's recommendations, warning that any delay in deciding the fate of an oil-rich region claimed by the Kurds would have "grave consequences."
Barzani, president of the 15-year-old autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, also faulted the U.S. bipartisan commission for not visiting his region, saying that was a "major shortcoming that adversely influenced the credibility of the assessment."
"We are in no way abiding by this report," Barzani said in an e-mailed statement.
He charged that the report released Wednesday, which was prepared by a commission led by former Republican secretary of state, James A. Baker III, and former Democratic congressman, Lee Hamilton, sought to give too much authority to the central government and Iraq's neighbors by giving them a say in the country's affairs.
Barzani also criticized the report's calls for a far-reaching amnesty to opposition groups and the reinstatement of Saddam Hussein loyalists in their old government jobs as part of national reconciliation efforts. Such calls, he said, rewarded "those who are against the political process and have conducted acts of violence."
Iraq's Kurds and Shiites combine for about 80 percent of Iraq's 26 million population. They suffered the most under Saddam's ousted Sunni-led regime. The Kurds and Shiites are Iraq's strongest proponents of federalism, enshrined in a new constitution adopted last year.
Sunni Arabs, however, see federalism as a prelude to portioning the country into a Kurdish north, a Shiite south, leaving them in a central Iraq bereft of oil and other natural resources. They have also opposed purging members of Saddam's now-ousted Baath party from government jobs and the armed forces, saying this was a roundabout way to punish members of their community.
Iraq's constitution stipulates that the fate of the northern, oil-rich city of Kirkuk be decided in a local referendum by the end of next year. The city is claimed by the Kurds, who want to annex it to their self-rule region. Kirkuk's Arab and Turkomen residents reject the Kurdish claim.
"Given the very dangerous situation in Kirkuk, international arbitration is necessary to avert communal violence," the Iraq Study group said in its report. "A referendum on the future of Kirkuk would be explosive and should be delayed."
Barzani countered: "Any delay in the implementation of this article will have grave consequences and it will in no way be accepted by the people of Kurdistan."
LinkHere
HAMZA HENDAWI
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, a longtime Washington ally, has angrily rejected the Iraq Study Group's recommendations, warning that any delay in deciding the fate of an oil-rich region claimed by the Kurds would have "grave consequences."
Barzani, president of the 15-year-old autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, also faulted the U.S. bipartisan commission for not visiting his region, saying that was a "major shortcoming that adversely influenced the credibility of the assessment."
"We are in no way abiding by this report," Barzani said in an e-mailed statement.
He charged that the report released Wednesday, which was prepared by a commission led by former Republican secretary of state, James A. Baker III, and former Democratic congressman, Lee Hamilton, sought to give too much authority to the central government and Iraq's neighbors by giving them a say in the country's affairs.
Barzani also criticized the report's calls for a far-reaching amnesty to opposition groups and the reinstatement of Saddam Hussein loyalists in their old government jobs as part of national reconciliation efforts. Such calls, he said, rewarded "those who are against the political process and have conducted acts of violence."
Iraq's Kurds and Shiites combine for about 80 percent of Iraq's 26 million population. They suffered the most under Saddam's ousted Sunni-led regime. The Kurds and Shiites are Iraq's strongest proponents of federalism, enshrined in a new constitution adopted last year.
Sunni Arabs, however, see federalism as a prelude to portioning the country into a Kurdish north, a Shiite south, leaving them in a central Iraq bereft of oil and other natural resources. They have also opposed purging members of Saddam's now-ousted Baath party from government jobs and the armed forces, saying this was a roundabout way to punish members of their community.
Iraq's constitution stipulates that the fate of the northern, oil-rich city of Kirkuk be decided in a local referendum by the end of next year. The city is claimed by the Kurds, who want to annex it to their self-rule region. Kirkuk's Arab and Turkomen residents reject the Kurdish claim.
"Given the very dangerous situation in Kirkuk, international arbitration is necessary to avert communal violence," the Iraq Study group said in its report. "A referendum on the future of Kirkuk would be explosive and should be delayed."
Barzani countered: "Any delay in the implementation of this article will have grave consequences and it will in no way be accepted by the people of Kurdistan."
LinkHere
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 4:41 PM
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