Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Kurdistan Coalition willing to postpone Kirkuk referendum
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - The Kurdistan Coalition has no problem with putting off the planned referendum on the situation in Kirkuk until the end of this year, the head of the coalition's parliamentary bloc Fuad Masoum said on Monday. "We have no problem with postponing the referendum on Kirkuk for two or three months or even more," Masoum told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by phone.
An Iraqi parliamentary vote on Saturday extended the work of the Constitutional Amendments Committee until the end of 2007, delaying the referendum on Kirkuk's status that was expected by the end of 2007. Masoum, who is also a member of the committee, said that the proposed constitutional amendments do not "conflict" with the referendum on Kirkuk. "The majority of parliamentary blocs agree that article 140 should not be subject to constitutional amendments," he said. Meanwhile the head of the committee, Humam Hamoudi, said on Saturday that the parliament's decision was taken in the light of the committee's failure to resolve several controversial issues, including article 140.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is related to the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk, an important and mixed city of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians and Arabs. Kurds seek to include the city in the autonomous Iraq's Kurdistan region, while Sunni Arabs, Turkmen and Shiite Arabs oppose the incorporation. The article currently stipulates that all Arabs in Kirkuk be returned to their original locations in southern and central Iraqi areas, and formerly displaced residents returned to Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad. A referendum, provided for in the Iraqi constitution, was scheduled to be held by the end of the current year on including the city into the Kurdistan region.
An Iraqi parliamentary vote on Saturday extended the work of the Constitutional Amendments Committee until the end of 2007, delaying the referendum on Kirkuk's status that was expected by the end of 2007. Masoum, who is also a member of the committee, said that the proposed constitutional amendments do not "conflict" with the referendum on Kirkuk. "The majority of parliamentary blocs agree that article 140 should not be subject to constitutional amendments," he said. Meanwhile the head of the committee, Humam Hamoudi, said on Saturday that the parliament's decision was taken in the light of the committee's failure to resolve several controversial issues, including article 140.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is related to the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk, an important and mixed city of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians and Arabs. Kurds seek to include the city in the autonomous Iraq's Kurdistan region, while Sunni Arabs, Turkmen and Shiite Arabs oppose the incorporation. The article currently stipulates that all Arabs in Kirkuk be returned to their original locations in southern and central Iraqi areas, and formerly displaced residents returned to Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad. A referendum, provided for in the Iraqi constitution, was scheduled to be held by the end of the current year on including the city into the Kurdistan region.
Labels: Article 140, Fuad Masoum, Humam Hamoudi, Kirkuk, Kirkuk referendum, Kurdistan Coalition
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Iraqi govt misses deadline on compiling electoral roll for referendum
Politics
(Financial Times) - Iraq's government has missed its deadline to compile a list of people eligible to vote in a December referendum that will determine the fate of a large, oil-rich and bitterly disputed swathe of the country, officials of northern Iraq's Kurdistan autonomous region said yesterday.
Politicians from the Shia-led bloc that dominates the government and the Kurdish parties that are its main allies had agreed before the formation of the national unity government in June 2006 that today would be the deadline for a "census" of the inhabitants of Kirkuk and other "disputed territories" of northern Iraq. However, the deadline appears to have passed without a census being completed, raising doubts as to whether the government is willing to follow through on its commitments.
The failure to meet the deadline "shows a lack of seriousness from all parties to implement. . . articles that were in the constitution that people had agreed and voted upon," said Falah Mustafa Bakir, head of the Kurdistan regional government's department of foreign relations. For many Kurds, the referendum is a chance to reclaim Kirkuk, which Jalal Talabani, Iraq's Kurdish president, has called the "Jerusalem of Kurdistan" - a historic capital purged of much of its non-Arab population by the regime of Saddam Hussein, the deposed leader.
But although Iraq's constitution calls for the referendum - which would ask people whether they wished to be part of the Kurdistan autonomous region - to be held no later than December 31, many Sunni and Shia Arabs strongly oppose Kirkuk ever becoming part of Kurdistan. The Article 140 process - designed to undo the "Arabisation" policies pursued by Saddam aimed at solidifying Arab control of northern oilfields - has also drawn criticism from others who fear it will feed instability.
The former regime pushed Kurds and other non-Arabs out. Arab settlers were brought in from other parts of the country, particularly the Shia south. In addition, it shuffled the borders of the region's provinces, handing away slices of Kirkuk to its neighbours in what Kurdish officials claim was an attempt at gerrymandering, ensuring the north's main oilfields were in an Arab-majority province.
To reverse this demographic engineering, Arab settlers are to be offered nearly $16,000 in compensation and land in their home provinces to leave. Kurdish officials claim 16,000 families have voluntarily signed up. Iraq's presidency council was supposed to have addressed the border issue by restoring the north's pre-Arabisation administrative boundaries. But the approval of parliament has yet to be granted.
Politicians from the Shia-led bloc that dominates the government and the Kurdish parties that are its main allies had agreed before the formation of the national unity government in June 2006 that today would be the deadline for a "census" of the inhabitants of Kirkuk and other "disputed territories" of northern Iraq. However, the deadline appears to have passed without a census being completed, raising doubts as to whether the government is willing to follow through on its commitments.
The failure to meet the deadline "shows a lack of seriousness from all parties to implement. . . articles that were in the constitution that people had agreed and voted upon," said Falah Mustafa Bakir, head of the Kurdistan regional government's department of foreign relations. For many Kurds, the referendum is a chance to reclaim Kirkuk, which Jalal Talabani, Iraq's Kurdish president, has called the "Jerusalem of Kurdistan" - a historic capital purged of much of its non-Arab population by the regime of Saddam Hussein, the deposed leader.
But although Iraq's constitution calls for the referendum - which would ask people whether they wished to be part of the Kurdistan autonomous region - to be held no later than December 31, many Sunni and Shia Arabs strongly oppose Kirkuk ever becoming part of Kurdistan. The Article 140 process - designed to undo the "Arabisation" policies pursued by Saddam aimed at solidifying Arab control of northern oilfields - has also drawn criticism from others who fear it will feed instability.
The former regime pushed Kurds and other non-Arabs out. Arab settlers were brought in from other parts of the country, particularly the Shia south. In addition, it shuffled the borders of the region's provinces, handing away slices of Kirkuk to its neighbours in what Kurdish officials claim was an attempt at gerrymandering, ensuring the north's main oilfields were in an Arab-majority province.
To reverse this demographic engineering, Arab settlers are to be offered nearly $16,000 in compensation and land in their home provinces to leave. Kurdish officials claim 16,000 families have voluntarily signed up. Iraq's presidency council was supposed to have addressed the border issue by restoring the north's pre-Arabisation administrative boundaries. But the approval of parliament has yet to be granted.
Labels: Article 140, electoral roll, Falah Mustafa Bakir, Kirkuk, Kirkuk referendum
Monday, July 16, 2007
Kurdish Parliament Member: The Kurdish Coalition Insists On The Implementation Of Article 140 Within The Stated Time Limit
Politics
(Al Mashriq Newspaper) - 16 JUL - Kurdish Coalition Parliament member, Khalid Schwan, said that the Kurdish Coalition insists on the implementation of Article 140 regarding the normalization of Kirkuk within the stated time limit and without further delay.
Schwan stated in Irbil, “The Kirkuk issue has been delayed two times. The first delay occurred during Ayad Allawi’s government and the second during Ibrahim Al Jaafari’s government. This issue was addressed in Article 158 of the Transitional Administrative State Law. At this time, we will not accept any further delay even if the government demands that. Kirkuk’s referendum will be conducted with the stated time limit. In accordance with Article 140 of the constitution, a referendum should be conducted to determine the destiny of Kirkuk by the end of this year, as to whether it ill be joined to Kurdistan or not.”
Article 140 states that Kirkuk’s normalization should have three stages starting with normalization and ending with the referendum. This article also states that Arabs who came to Kirkuk should be returned to their original areas and those who were previously displaced should be returned to Kirkuk. The Article 140 Committee has issued a decision to compensate Arabs, who came from other areas, with 20 million ID, a parcel of land, and the transferal of their to their old area.
The German News Agency has mentioned, based on the statement of the Sadr Movement’s Parliament spokesman [Bahaa Al Araji], that the Sadr Movement is committed to federalism and Article 140 of the constitution. The spokesman confirmed, “The Kurdistan region is a special case that has been clearly mentioned in the constitution.
Article 140 states that Kirkuk’s normalization should have three stages starting with normalization and ending with the referendum. This article also states that Arabs who came to Kirkuk should be returned to their original areas and those who were previously displaced should be returned to Kirkuk. The Article 140 Committee has issued a decision to compensate Arabs, who came from other areas, with 20 million ID, a parcel of land, and the transferal of their to their old area.
The German News Agency has mentioned, based on the statement of the Sadr Movement’s Parliament spokesman [Bahaa Al Araji], that the Sadr Movement is committed to federalism and Article 140 of the constitution. The spokesman confirmed, “The Kurdistan region is a special case that has been clearly mentioned in the constitution.
After his meeting with the PUK political office in Sulaymaniya, Al Araji said, “The Sadr Movement supports the full implementation of Article 140 because it is in a constitutional article.” Regarding Kirkuk joining the Kurdistan region, Al Araji said, “This issue will be decided by Kirkuk’s citizens through a referendum. The Sadr Movement opposes the gathering of Turkish troops on the border because Kurdistan is a part of Iraq. We do not accept any interference in Kurdistan’s internal affairs by any country.”
Labels: Article 140, Bahaa Al Araji, Khalid Schwan, Kirkuk, Kirkuk referendum, Kurdish Coalition, Sadrist bloc
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Al-Askari - Kurds agree to postpone referendum on Kirkuk
Politics
(Azzaman) - The government has hinted at ongoing talks with armed groups fighting U.S. occupation troops. An adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he saw such meetings as important. Sami al-Askari did not deny that Maliki had himself taken part in the meetings but said, “In principle we will be please in case such meetings have taken place.”
Askari also confirmed that progress was made in efforts to revise a law that made it impossible for former members of the Baath party to assume government jobs. With regard to constitutional amendments, he said Iraqi deputies and personalities charged with the task have also reported ‘good progress.’
But more important for the government has been, according to Askari, Kurds’ consent to postpone a referendum on the future of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The ethnically mixed city, where some of Iraq’s largest oil fields are situated, is contested by Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen. Its destiny was to be decided by the end of this year but the United Nations charged of organizing the referendum says security conditions would discourage the stationing of independent monitors there.
Askari also confirmed that progress was made in efforts to revise a law that made it impossible for former members of the Baath party to assume government jobs. With regard to constitutional amendments, he said Iraqi deputies and personalities charged with the task have also reported ‘good progress.’
But more important for the government has been, according to Askari, Kurds’ consent to postpone a referendum on the future of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The ethnically mixed city, where some of Iraq’s largest oil fields are situated, is contested by Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen. Its destiny was to be decided by the end of this year but the United Nations charged of organizing the referendum says security conditions would discourage the stationing of independent monitors there.
Labels: armed groups, Baathists, Kirkuk referendum, meetings, Sami al-Askari
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Talabani - Kirkuk issue to be solved according to Iraqi constitution
Politics
(VOI) – Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the Kirkuk issue will be solved according to the Iraqi constitution, considering Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to be one of the best leaders to deal with the cause. "The Kirkuk issue will be solved according to the constitution," the president said at a press conference upon his arrival at the Sulaimaniya International Airport on Wednesday, referring to a statement made by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who said that "we should normalize the situation in Kirkuk before carrying out a referendum.
"The province of Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad, is home to Kurds, Arabs, Turkmans and ChaldoAssyrians, and is one of the most heated topics on the Iraqi political scene. The province is waiting for the establishment of procedures to normalize the situation through implementation of article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, returning displaced Arabs to their homes and offering them 20 million dinars in compensation. A census will follow the referendum, during which the people of Kirkuk will decide whether to stay part of the Iraqi federal government or to join Iraq's Kurdistan region.
"We expect that the Sharm el-Sheikh conference will provide us with economic and political support and strongly condemn terrorism," the president said in response to a question from a correspondent from the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). Regarding the building of a concrete wall in Azamiya in Baghdad, the president said "I'm against building barriers." Talabani, who is also the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), arrived in Iraq at 2:00 pm on Wednesday.
Labels: Article 140, Iraqi constitution, Jalal Talabani, Kirkuk, Kirkuk referendum, Kurdistan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Turkey asks for delay on Kirkuk referendum
Security, Politics, Region
(AP) Turkey's prime minister on Tuesday urged one of Iraq's two vice presidents to delay a referendum on the future of Kirkuk, fearing Iraqi Kurdish groups could seize control of the northern, oil-rich city. Turkey, which has been trying to quell a Kurdish insurgency for more than two decades, is concerned about the growing power of Iraqi Kurds and has repeatedly warned Iraqi Kurdish groups against trying to seize control of Kirkuk.
Iraq's constitution calls for a referendum on Kirkuk's future by the end of the year. The Kurds want to incorporate the city and its rich oilfields into their self-ruled region, a move the Turks have strongly opposed. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Iraqi Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi the normalization of security sought by the Iraqi constitution has not occurred in Kirkuk and the referendum must be postponed, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported. Turkey fears Iraq's Kurds want Kirkuk's oil revenues to fund a bid for independence that could encourage separatist Kurdish guerrillas in Turkey, who have been fighting for autonomy since 1984. The conflict has claimed the lives of 37,000 people. Erdogan also asked Abdul-Mahdi to stop attacks by separatist Kurdish guerrillas, based in Iraq, on Turkey.
Iraq's constitution calls for a referendum on Kirkuk's future by the end of the year. The Kurds want to incorporate the city and its rich oilfields into their self-ruled region, a move the Turks have strongly opposed. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Iraqi Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi the normalization of security sought by the Iraqi constitution has not occurred in Kirkuk and the referendum must be postponed, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported. Turkey fears Iraq's Kurds want Kirkuk's oil revenues to fund a bid for independence that could encourage separatist Kurdish guerrillas in Turkey, who have been fighting for autonomy since 1984. The conflict has claimed the lives of 37,000 people. Erdogan also asked Abdul-Mahdi to stop attacks by separatist Kurdish guerrillas, based in Iraq, on Turkey.
Labels: Adil Abdul Mahdi, Kirkuk referendum, Kurdistan, Turkey
