ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – All political parties in the Kurdistan Region have given their written views on how to resolve a deadlock over the draft constitution, and these have been sent to parliament which will begin debating the issue on Sunday, a presidential spokesman said.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani had asked all political parties to present their views, which he then forwarded to the parliament, said his spokesman, Omed Sabah.
“After they were asked by President Barzani to say what they want done with the constitution, all political parties have answered his call,” Sabah said. “He sent the report to parliament so that the special parliamentary committee for the constitution meets with representatives of the parties and finds a solution together,” Sabah added.
Barzani’s move may end months of tension between Kurdistan’s political parties.
Kurdistan parties have been divided over the issue of the autonomous region’s draft constitution. Opposition groups say it must be returned to parliament for amendments, while Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) says that the people must decide in a referendum whether to ratify or amend the draft.
According to Sabah, Barzani sent the responses of the political groups to parliament after he studied them himself.
Tariq Jawhar, a public relations official in parliament, confirmed that the assembly has received Barzani’s document, and will begin debating it on Sunday.
“On Sunday, the parliament will study and assess Barzani’s document that contains the views of all the different political parties and seek a legal solution,” said Jawhar.
Kurdish political parties were upset when Barzani told a crowd of supporters last month, “No one has the power to send the constitution back to Parliament except the people.”
In response, leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) -- the region’s second largest party and the KDP’s ally in government – began siding with the opposition over the past few weeks, demanding the amendments.
But on Thursday, PUK deputy secretary general and former prime minister Barham Salih, said that his party welcomes Barzani’s proposal.
“The PUK values Barzani’s step and fully supports it,” Salih told the pukmedia.com, his party’s mouthpiece. “As a national duty, the PUK will stand by the president and parliament on this issue,” he said.
