ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) stressed following a meeting which lasted several hours on Sunday at Dukan resort in Sulaimani “an unconditional, responsible and constructive dialogue” between Erbil and Baghdad amid growing tensions between the two sides which emerged in the wake of the independence referendum vote. The two sides strongly rejected calls to annul the referendum vote so as to enter into talks with Baghdad.
The KDP and PUK also rejected the use of military force by Baghdad to take over several key areas in the Kirkuk region to resolve its rising rows with Erbil.
“The Kurdistan parties are still ready to hold an open, unconditional and constructive meeting on the basis of Erbil and Baghdad interests and constitutional principles,” read a joint statement by the KDP and PUK.
During a presser following the meeting, Nechirvan Barzani, deputy president of the KDP and premier of the Kurdistan Region reiterated the two parties' stance regarding the referendum vote saying "the referendum result will not be annulled as it is not a solution. The only solution is settlement."
Concerning a buildup of the Iraqi army and Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi and their standoff with the Peshmerga in Kirkuk, the KDP-PUK statement read “on security and military issues in areas outside the Kurdistan Region or any other place, any sort of military intervention or the movement of forces or threats will endanger the Baghdad-Erbil relations and any genuine attempt to peacefully resolve the problems.”
It added attempts of military usage will “directly violate the rules and regulations made for the Iraqi armed forces to avoid involvement in resolving the internal political problems.”
The meeting of the KDP and PUK leadership in Dukan, joined by Iraqi President Fuad Masum, also a PUK member, ended with an affirmation of “national unity in the face of all pressure” and a refusal to cancel the referendum result, said Hemin Hawrami, senior assistant to Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani.
“The meeting found it was in the interest of all sides, Iraqi and Kurdish political parties to take part in the Region and Baghdad talks to be monitored by the international bodies,” the statement read.
Baghdad has said that the Kurdish leadership must cancel the vote before agreeing to enter into any negotiations after the September 25 referendum that saw 92.7 percent support for Kurdistan’s independence from Iraq.
The meeting in Dukan came after a tense night south of Kirkuk as the Peshmerga were engaged in a standoff with Iraqi and Hashd al-Shaabi forces. Armed civilians took to the streets of Kirkuk, vowing to defend their lands.
Both the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Iraq’s Joint Operations Command deny that they are planning to attack the Peshmerga-controlled territories, including Kirkuk, one of the disputed or Kurdistani areas that are under Kurdish control but also claimed by Baghdad.
The Iraqi PM has called on the Kurdish leadership to administer the disputed areas in a joint manner with the Iraqi government until Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution that concerns the fate of the disputed areas is implemented.
"We have never and will in no way leave our positions," said Omer Salih, a high-ranking Peshmerga official, adding they are "emboldened" by the support from the people of Kirkuk.
The KDP and PUK also rejected the use of military force by Baghdad to take over several key areas in the Kirkuk region to resolve its rising rows with Erbil.
“The Kurdistan parties are still ready to hold an open, unconditional and constructive meeting on the basis of Erbil and Baghdad interests and constitutional principles,” read a joint statement by the KDP and PUK.
During a presser following the meeting, Nechirvan Barzani, deputy president of the KDP and premier of the Kurdistan Region reiterated the two parties' stance regarding the referendum vote saying "the referendum result will not be annulled as it is not a solution. The only solution is settlement."
Concerning a buildup of the Iraqi army and Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi and their standoff with the Peshmerga in Kirkuk, the KDP-PUK statement read “on security and military issues in areas outside the Kurdistan Region or any other place, any sort of military intervention or the movement of forces or threats will endanger the Baghdad-Erbil relations and any genuine attempt to peacefully resolve the problems.”
It added attempts of military usage will “directly violate the rules and regulations made for the Iraqi armed forces to avoid involvement in resolving the internal political problems.”
The meeting of the KDP and PUK leadership in Dukan, joined by Iraqi President Fuad Masum, also a PUK member, ended with an affirmation of “national unity in the face of all pressure” and a refusal to cancel the referendum result, said Hemin Hawrami, senior assistant to Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani.
Amid increasing pressures on the Region to annul the referendum vote which saw an overwhelming 93 percent ‘Yes’ vote, the two Kurdish parties “stressed the unity of our nation and the political parties of Kurdistan who are the source of assurances of running the joint duties at this stage.”
“The meeting found it was in the interest of all sides, Iraqi and Kurdish political parties to take part in the Region and Baghdad talks to be monitored by the international bodies,” the statement read.
Baghdad has said that the Kurdish leadership must cancel the vote before agreeing to enter into any negotiations after the September 25 referendum that saw 92.7 percent support for Kurdistan’s independence from Iraq.
The meeting in Dukan came after a tense night south of Kirkuk as the Peshmerga were engaged in a standoff with Iraqi and Hashd al-Shaabi forces. Armed civilians took to the streets of Kirkuk, vowing to defend their lands.
Both the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Iraq’s Joint Operations Command deny that they are planning to attack the Peshmerga-controlled territories, including Kirkuk, one of the disputed or Kurdistani areas that are under Kurdish control but also claimed by Baghdad.
The Iraqi PM has called on the Kurdish leadership to administer the disputed areas in a joint manner with the Iraqi government until Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution that concerns the fate of the disputed areas is implemented.
A Peshmerga official speaking to reporters on the frontline in Talward village south of Kirkuk on Saturday assured the people of Kirkuk that they would "in no way" leave the area for Hashd al-Shaabi and the Iraqi army to take over.
"We have never and will in no way leave our positions," said Omer Salih, a high-ranking Peshmerga official, adding they are "emboldened" by the support from the people of Kirkuk.
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