Iraq’s Abadi says govt seeks dialogue over status of disputed areas

Iraq’s Abadi says govt seeks dialogue over status of disputed areas

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Editorial Staff in Kirkuk, Kurds in Iraq, Politics

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, March 22, 2017. Photo: Reuters

BAGHDAD,— Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Tuesday the government seeks to decide on the status of the country’s disputed areas through cooperation and dialogue, saying citizens are “more aware” of some politicians regarding the country’s interests.

Abadi’s remarks were made during his weekly press conference which followed the regular session of the Council of Ministers in the day.

Abadi expressed his hope to resolve all issues related to the disputed areas through cooperation and dialogue.

“A referendum cannot be held in the governorate of Kirkuk, some areas of which have been usurped and have displaced persons,” Abadi said.

He added the Iraqi government’s position is unbiased toward all components of Kirkuk without exception.

Abadi also said there were no International Coalition air bases in Iraq and denied the presence of any U.S. soldier assigned to a combat mission anywhere in the country.

Senior Kurdish officials have made calls for referendum, wishing to put the governorate of Kirkuk and certain other areas to vote on whether to join autonomous Kurdistan, after steps have been taken to allow expelled Kurds to return, and a census has been conducted.

On April 4, the provincial council of the ethnically mixed Kirkuk province voted in favour of a draft to hold a referendum to decide the fate of the province whether to join the Kurdistan region or remain as part of Iraq.

Kirkuk Provincial Council members approved a request from Governor Najmaldin Karim on March 28 to raise the Kurdistan flag along with Iraqi flag over official premises in the governorate.

The oil rich ethnically-mixed Kirkuk city in Iraq’s north is claimed by both Iraq’s central government and the country’s Kurdish region.

The Kurds are seeking to integrate Kirkuk province into the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region claiming it to be historically a Kurdish city, but Iraq’s central government opposes this. The population is a mix of Kurds, Arabs, Christians and Turkmen.

The Arabs and Turkmen do not want to see the province under permanent Kurdish control.

Kurdish forces take full control of Kirkuk after the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq in 2014 and the withdrawal of Iraqi army form the province and some other northern region of the state, including second-biggest city of Mosul.

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