ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s vice president and former prime minister, criticized political entities who want to exit from Iraq during a talk with Al-Sumariya TV channel Saturday evening.
Responding to a question about whether Kurds can have their own state, the former prime minister said, “No one has the constitutional right to exit Iraq.” He also accused neighboring countries of planning to divide Iraq, but did not mention any specific country.
Maliki warned all sides that dividing Iraq would not take place without violence, and said that such a “project” can never succeed without having a “bloody river.”
“Any parts wanting to decide their own fate must rewrite the constitution,” he added.
Kurdistan region President Masoud Barzani’s latest visit to the United States and his interviews regarding Kurdish independence alarmed many Iraqi politicians and religious figures, a majority of whom oppose the idea of Kurdish self-determination.
Responding to a question about whether Kurds can have their own state, the former prime minister said, “No one has the constitutional right to exit Iraq.” He also accused neighboring countries of planning to divide Iraq, but did not mention any specific country.
Maliki warned all sides that dividing Iraq would not take place without violence, and said that such a “project” can never succeed without having a “bloody river.”
“Any parts wanting to decide their own fate must rewrite the constitution,” he added.
Kurdistan region President Masoud Barzani’s latest visit to the United States and his interviews regarding Kurdish independence alarmed many Iraqi politicians and religious figures, a majority of whom oppose the idea of Kurdish self-determination.
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