ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reiterated that in government formation talks, negotiations about disputed areas with Kurdistani parties are out of the question.
"Involving Kirkuk and the disputed territories for them to return to their prior conditions... well that isn't a government formation case. This is a case of negotiations between the central government and the Region on the way in which these areas are administered," Abadi said on Sunday among a panel of journalists.
The Kurdistan Regional Government had administered and provided security in Kirkuk and some other disputed areas before the events of October 16, when federal forces and Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries took over the areas from Peshmerga.
Abadi argued that it wasn't correct for an all-Arab force to rule Kurdish areas in the disputed territories, neither was it correct for Kurdish forces to rule non-Kurdish areas.
"On what are we to fight? Fight over controlling that area and that area? Come, let us cooperate on ensuring the interests of the people in these areas," he added.
"We stress the following... There is no other choice but to coexist," he added.
"Involving Kirkuk and the disputed territories for them to return to their prior conditions... well that isn't a government formation case. This is a case of negotiations between the central government and the Region on the way in which these areas are administered," Abadi said on Sunday among a panel of journalists.
The Kurdistan Regional Government had administered and provided security in Kirkuk and some other disputed areas before the events of October 16, when federal forces and Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries took over the areas from Peshmerga.
Abadi argued that it wasn't correct for an all-Arab force to rule Kurdish areas in the disputed territories, neither was it correct for Kurdish forces to rule non-Kurdish areas.
"On what are we to fight? Fight over controlling that area and that area? Come, let us cooperate on ensuring the interests of the people in these areas," he added.
He said that they were ready for a multi-ethnic force of the federal government controlling the disputed territories.
In the election, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) won six seats, Arab lists six, the Turkmen three, and the Christians one minority seat. Leaders in the KRG maintain that security and services were better under their administration than they are currently. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) — the largest in the Kurdistan Region — refused to field candidates in what described as an "occupied" city.
"We stress the following... There is no other choice but to coexist," he added.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is meant to address disputed areas by referendum. It was supposed to be implemented by 2007, but has not been. Kurds complain that processes of Arabization dating back to the Saddam Hussein era changed the demographics of the historically diverse area.
By presidential decree, Iraq's MP-elects shall convene on Monday.
Abadi announced on Sunday that he had formed the largest bloc along with Muqtada al-Sadr, Ammar al-Hakim and the Osama al-Nujaifi wing of the Sunni National Axis, as well as the New Generation.
Rival Nouri al-Maliki also announced he had formed the largest bloc Hadi al-Amiri, Falah Alfayyadh, and the majority of the Sunni National Axis.
Abadi said Kurdish parties had the right to ponder over which side they will choose.
"They seem to have a vision, and they are developing this vision until they decide," he added. "They are, at the end, partners in government formation."
The KDP and PUK sent a high-level delegation to Baghdad over the weekend. They have stressed that they do not care about seats in the next government, but rather ensuring the national rights of Kurds.
By presidential decree, Iraq's MP-elects shall convene on Monday.
Abadi announced on Sunday that he had formed the largest bloc along with Muqtada al-Sadr, Ammar al-Hakim and the Osama al-Nujaifi wing of the Sunni National Axis, as well as the New Generation.
Rival Nouri al-Maliki also announced he had formed the largest bloc Hadi al-Amiri, Falah Alfayyadh, and the majority of the Sunni National Axis.
The KDP and the PUK are not currently part of the bloc. It remains possible they will opt to join the camp of Maliki, who has ruled himself out as the next PM.
Abadi said Kurdish parties had the right to ponder over which side they will choose.
"They seem to have a vision, and they are developing this vision until they decide," he added. "They are, at the end, partners in government formation."
The KDP and PUK sent a high-level delegation to Baghdad over the weekend. They have stressed that they do not care about seats in the next government, but rather ensuring the national rights of Kurds.
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