Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Barzani tells EU that Turkey should stop interfering
Politics, Kurdistan
The leader of the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq appealed to Turkey on Tuesday to stop interfering in Iraqi internal affairs, in particular trying to delay efforts to bring the oil-rich city of Kirkuk under Kurdish control. Massoud Barzani told EU lawmakers that the northern Iraqi city should be put under the regional control of Kurds, a move which Turkey fears could be used to fund a bid for independence.
Under Iraq's constitution residents living in Kirkuk are expected to hold a referendum before the end of the year on whether the city should join the autonomous region run by Kurds in northern Iraq. The Iraqi government last month decided to implement the constitutional requirement to determine the future status of Kirkuk — which is disputed among several different ethnic groups. The plan is expected to turn Kirkuk and its vast oil reserves over to Kurdish control, a step rejected by many of Iraq's Arabs and Turkmen — ethnic Turks who are strongly backed by Ankara.
"Kirkuk is an Iraqi city, with Kurdistan characteristics, and no one outside has a right to intervene," Barzani said. Barzani, who was in Brussels to hold talks with EU officials, including EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee that Iraq's neighbors, including Turkey, had nothing to fear from his autonomous region, which he said was a rare area of security and stability in Iraq.
Turkey fears that any moves toward greater independence for Kurds in northern Iraq could incite Turkey's own estimated 14 million Kurds to outright rebellion. It has urged Baghdad to delay the vote, an appeal also made by some EU lawmakers on Tuesday, who fear the vote will lead to new conflict between ethnic groups in Kirkuk. Barzani warned however, that any delay would violate Iraq's constitution and could lead to unrest among Kurds.
Under Iraq's constitution residents living in Kirkuk are expected to hold a referendum before the end of the year on whether the city should join the autonomous region run by Kurds in northern Iraq. The Iraqi government last month decided to implement the constitutional requirement to determine the future status of Kirkuk — which is disputed among several different ethnic groups. The plan is expected to turn Kirkuk and its vast oil reserves over to Kurdish control, a step rejected by many of Iraq's Arabs and Turkmen — ethnic Turks who are strongly backed by Ankara.
"Kirkuk is an Iraqi city, with Kurdistan characteristics, and no one outside has a right to intervene," Barzani said. Barzani, who was in Brussels to hold talks with EU officials, including EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee that Iraq's neighbors, including Turkey, had nothing to fear from his autonomous region, which he said was a rare area of security and stability in Iraq.
Turkey fears that any moves toward greater independence for Kurds in northern Iraq could incite Turkey's own estimated 14 million Kurds to outright rebellion. It has urged Baghdad to delay the vote, an appeal also made by some EU lawmakers on Tuesday, who fear the vote will lead to new conflict between ethnic groups in Kirkuk. Barzani warned however, that any delay would violate Iraq's constitution and could lead to unrest among Kurds.
Labels: Article 140, E.U., Javier Solana, Kirkuk, Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, Turkey
