Masoud Barzani: The democratic model is threatened in Iraq, and the decisions of the Federal Court a

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[size=52]Masoud Barzani: The democratic model is threatened in Iraq, and the decisions of the Federal Court are unfair against the region[/size]

[size=45]In an exclusive interview with Monte Carlo International, Masoud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said that Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani faces obstacles in implementing the terms of the political agreement, which allowed participation in this government, accusing several parties of trying to obstruct the work of the federal government.[/size]
[size=45]Barzani pointed to the state of concern due to the threats affecting the democratic model in Iraq, a threat coming from within and from without, as he put it.[/size]
[size=45]Regarding the relationship between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, the Kurdish leader regretted the state of division that the region is experiencing, explaining that there are differences on strategic issues and goals between the two competing parties in the region, but he pointed to the continuous work to unify the Kurdish ranks and overcome the differences.[/size]
[size=45]Regarding the relationship with Iran, especially after the recent attack on Erbil, which claimed the lives of civilians, Barzani denied all Iranian accusations affecting the region of providing a refuge for Iran’s enemies, especially those “false” accusations that talk about the presence of the Mossad inside the territory of the region, noting that some parties in Tehran It failed to respond to the powerful and used Erbil as an excuse to justify this failure.[/size]
[size=45]Regarding the controversy surrounding the American presence in Iraq, he said that there are fears of a repeat of the 2011 scenario, and ISIS occupying a third of Iraq after a period of the Americans’ withdrawal, had it not been for the support of the coalition forces that contributed to defeating the organization, pointing out that the Iraqi government must undertake the issue of reviewing the concluded agreement. Between the government and the United States, and not doing so by a group of factions or groups trying to interfere in a fateful issue that affects all Iraqis.[/size]
[size=45]Regarding the decisions of the Iraqi Federal Court regarding the salaries of Kurdistan Region employees and the region’s imports, Barzani expressed his regret about the recent decisions, which he considered biased against the region, accusing the court of exceeding its constitutional powers, as he put it.[/size]
[size=45]Barzani concluded this meeting by sounding the alarm about the future of Iraq if the Iraqis do not once again adopt the principle of participation, consensus and balance, without the monopolization of power by certain groups, which may lead Iraq towards the abyss.[/size]
[size=45]Full text of the dialogue:[/size]
[size=45]• Let us begin with a question about what is happening, after a year and a half of Mr. Sudanese government, in which you participate; How do you evaluate the work of the government or your role within the federal government?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: When we participated in Mr. Sudanese’s government, it was based on a political agreement, and the state administration coalition was formed based on this political agreement. What we notice is that Mr. Sudanese wants to apply and implement the political agreement that was concluded between the parties, but at the same time, we see that There are real obstacles facing him. We supported him and will support him in order for him to be able to implement and achieve what we agreed upon, but he faces real difficulties.[/size]
[size=45]• What kind of difficulties are these?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: Difficulties prevent him from implementing the agreement reached between the parties.[/size]
[size=45]• Yes, it was prevented... by certain parties... by accusing certain parties?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: I do not want to identify a specific party per se, but there are parties trying to obstruct the work of the federal government.. It is very clear.[/size]
[size=45]• Yes, are you comfortable working within this government? I mean, your main allies have isolated themselves, like the Sadrists. There are also those who have been marginalized, like Mr. Al-Halbousi. I mean, are you comfortable or worried today?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: Frankly, we are worried, worried about the situation because democracy is threatened in Iraq, a real threat.[/size]
[size=45]• The threat coming from within or from without?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: From inside and outside.[/size]
[size=45]• Many press reports talk about the difficulties afflicting the region, especially at the level of the relationship between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, meaning the relationship between the two competing parties in the Kurdistan region, despite all the differences in the past, but you were going united to Baghdad. Today you go divided, meaning; How can we explain the state of division that the region is experiencing?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: This is a truly unfortunate situation, but frankly I say that there is a disagreement over strategic issues...over strategic goals. If it had been a disagreement over tactical issues, it would have been very easy. However, we are trying and making every effort to overcome this problem and work to unify the Kurdish ranks. as it was.[/size]
[size=45]• If we want, for example, to talk about strategic issues, that is, when we say strategic issues, the topic may be general, but; What is the most prominent thing that stands in the way of the unity of the Kurdish ranks, for example?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: It is not permissible to compromise on the entity of the region. It is not permissible to cooperate with those who want to dismantle the region. It is not permissible to ally with those who want to end the region. This is the strategic issue.[/size]
[size=45]• Yes, and in your opinion, there are those who are actually trying or who are aiming to achieve this goal?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: Of course, very clear.[/size]
[size=45]• Let us be more frank, you were born in Iranian Kurdistan, and your relationship with Iran may have been somewhat good, but recently it has been observed that there is a major deterioration in the relationship with Iran, the recent incident that led to the death of a number of people due to an Iranian attack, Iran accuses you of providing refuge to its enemies. How do you respond to these accusations?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: These are false accusations, and Iran knows before anyone else that these are false accusations. Yes, I was born in Mahabad, yes, and we did not want one day to have tense relations with Iran, and we did not allow the region to be a place to threaten Iran’s security.[/size]
[size=45]- Since 2020 and 2021 until today, Erbil, as a city and governorate, has been subjected to 143 attacks with drones or ballistic missiles by Iran or Iran’s followers, and these crimes are always justified by saying that there are international intelligence centers, specifically the Mossad or the Kurdish opposition present in Kurdistan... in the region. I'm sure if there had been a Mossad headquarters, they wouldn't have insisted on hitting it.[/size]
[size=45]The Iranian opposition has existed for 50 years, and based on a tripartite agreement between the federal government, the regional government, and Iran, the Iranian-Kurdish opposition responded, and all their forces were withdrawn from the border areas and they returned to residential areas on the outskirts of Erbil, and this was based on an agreement.[/size]
[size=45]Therefore, Iran's accusations are in fact false accusations, and we never wanted the relationship with Iran to become tense, but we are also surprised why Iran chose this approach.[/size]
[size=45]• Ok, did the federal government do what it needed to respond to what happened in Erbil?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: I moved, but in reality the move was not at the level of the crime that was committed.[/size]
[size=45]• The entire controversy today in Iraq revolves around the issue of the withdrawal of coalition forces. Let's be more frank; American withdrawal from Iraq. Does this worry the Kurds?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: Perhaps the same scenario that happened in 2011 when the American forces withdrew and the coalition forces withdrew with them, was repeated after a while. We saw ISIS occupying almost a third of Iraq and they entered Iraq and almost occupied all of Iraq. Had it not been for the support of the coalition, the situation would have been different. Of course there was an agreement between The federal government, America and the coalition, and 10 years have passed since this agreement. Perhaps this agreement needs to be reviewed, but this is within the jurisdiction of the federal government and the competent agencies and not the jurisdiction of factions or groups. They decide; This is a crucial issue related to all Iraqis, and no single party has the right to take any decision regarding this issue.[/size]
[size=45]• Internally, there are economic difficulties in the region. There is popular complaint about delayed salaries for employees, and this coincides with the cessation of oil exports, of course from the Kurdistan region. How do you view the recent Federal Court decisions regarding salaries and the region’s imports?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: With great regret, all the decisions of the Federal Court, that is, against the region, are biased par excellence against the region. For your information, this court is not a constitutional court. This is a court that was formed in the time of Bremer and now plays the role of the judicial authority, the legislative authority, and the executive authority. I believe that the Federal Court has exceeded its powers. It has exceeded its basic duties, and its decisions are unfair and unjust decisions that are against the region par excellence.[/size]
[size=45]• I want to stop quickly at a point that worries some of your friends in the West, so to speak. I mean, is it the third generation of Kurdistan politicians after the first founding generation and your second generation that knew weapons and knew how to negotiate? Is the third generation capable of facing all the challenges plaguing the region today?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: A nice question. I also had the same fears, but in the war with ISIS, we suffered for about two months, but after that a new generation emerged that is more solid, more experienced, and stronger willed. It is true that there is a new generation.. and we cannot say that it is It was not affected by the technological development and development that took place in the whole world...but now there is a trained generation equipped with weapons and equipped with thought and will, so I say in all frankness; We are not afraid and we have hundreds of thousands of young people who will probably go far beyond what the first and second generations reached.[/size]
[size=45]• Very nice.. Ok, so five years have passed since the historic referendum that was held on the Kurds’ right to self-determination. What actually happened was a deterioration in the relationship with the center, but; Do you consider federalism a practical idea in the countries you know? in this area?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: After the fall of the regime in 2003, it was the Kurdistan Parliament that decided to adopt federalism and establish the relationship on this basis with Baghdad. I spent long periods in Baghdad after the fall of the regime, and during the drafting of the constitution as well. We worked hard and sincerely to build a democratic, pluralistic Iraq. Federally. After a while, we noticed that federalism...there are those who do not believe in it, even the constitution. What we agreed upon in the constitution was withdrawn, and the constitution’s preamble says that adherence to this constitution guarantees the unity of Iraq. The constitution was violated. If federalism had been implemented in practice and we had adhered to it and the constitution, we would not have gone to the referendum.[/size]
[size=45]• How do you view the future of Iraq?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: As for Iraq adopting what was agreed upon and returning to democracy and the basic principles...participation, consensus, and balance, then it is possible to save Iraq from this crisis in which it is living. As for the monopoly of power and the acquisition of everything by a specific group, entity, or component, in reality Iraq will move toward the abyss, returning to democracy, to the constitution, and to the basic principles... partnership, consensus, and balance.[/size]
[size=45]• Yes, Mr. President, you are the one who says that the friend of the Kurds is the mountain today. Who are the friends of the Kurds?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: The mountain plus many friends in the world.[/size]
[size=45]• who are they?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: Many... exist.[/size]
[size=45]• Do you mean your relationship with neighboring countries?[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: There are the Arab countries, for example, with the peoples of the Arab countries, with the West, with America, with the whole world, with the East... I mean, thank God, we have many friends.[/size]
[size=45]• Support for the Kurdish cause remains as it was.[/size]
[size=45]- Masoud Barzani: There is understanding...there is support, but in reality it is not at the required level. Sometimes a specific event comes that overshadows all other events, for example the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza... Sometimes interests change and shift from one place to another.[/size]
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