UNAMI’s outgoing chief Jan Kubis meets Masoud and Nechirvan Barzani
According to a UNAMI statement published on its Facebook page, Kubis “stressed the importance of the participation of Kurdistan political parties in national politics and their valuable contribution to shaping the future of stable and united Iraq while working with other national partners on resolving longstanding issues between Baghdad and Erbil, notably activating the search for solutions to the issues in Kirkuk based on Article 140 of the Constitution.”
Masoud Barzani welcomed Kubis in his office in Pirmam, according to a readout from his office.
“In the meeting, the political situation of Iraq, the region and the latest efforts at forming the government and the first Iraqi parliamentary session were discussed,” the statement read.
Kubis, a Slovak former foreign minister who took the UNAMI helm in February 2015, “praised the role of president Barzani in settling the equations in Iraq’s political process,” it added.
Kubis also met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.
“They discussed political developments in Iraq ahead of convening of parliament and formation of the government and participation of Kurdish parties in national politics,” UNAMI tweeted on Sunday evening.
“Preparations for upcoming regional elections in Kurdistan Region scheduled for end of September were also discussed,” it added.
Kubis will soon hand over his UNAMI brief to Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, a Dutch former defence minister.
Iraqi government formation talks have dragged on for months, with many short-lived alliances formed only to crumble days later.
The Federal Court recently ratified the results of Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary election after allegations of fraud led to a partial manual recount. The recount did not substantially change the original result.
Once the result was confirmed, parties quickly began forming alliances, assembling into three broad camps.
The Sayirun-Hikma-Nasr-Wataniya bloc of Muqtada al-Sadr and incumbent Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi has emerged as the strongest contender for government. Meanwhile the pro-Iran Fatih-State of Law alliance is shaping up as a possible opposition bloc. A third camp made up of Kurds and Sunnis is yet to decide on which of these blocs to join.
Masoud Barzani said government positions for Kurds are not their biggest concern, but rather a government formed on the principle of partnership, consensus, and balance.
He stressed the need for guarantees and “clear mechanisms” for upholding and implementing agreements and to prevent authoritarianism and marginalization of different components.
The situation in Kirkuk and other disputed areas needs to be normalized through the implementation of the constitution or a bilateral agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, he told Kubis according to the statement.
The situation “has been created through weapons and occupation, and under no circumstances will this be accepted or overlooked,” Barzani added.
Rudaw
