After meeting with Fuad Masum, the president of Iraq, the Kurdish delegation convened with the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, discussing the question of a referendum.
Fazil Mirani, a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) member and member of the Kurdish delegation, said they discussed the process of holding referendum in Kurdistan as the region is moving forward with it.
Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri urged negotiations to resolve disputes between the parties.
"We met with the Kurdistan Region delegation on resolving the issues," Jabouri told Rudaw. "And we urged dialogue as a means to resolve the problems.”
Kurdistan delegation member Fazil Mirani (left) speaking to reporters together with the Iraqi Parliament Speker Salim al-Jabouri. Photo: Rudaw TV
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1:42 p.m.
Meetings underway as Kurdish delegation arrives in Baghdad for referendum talks
BAGHDAD, Iraq— The visiting Kurdish delegation in Baghdad started their intense two-day talks Wednesday with top Iraqi leaders over the anticipated Kurdish referendum and also the recent flag controversy in Kirkuk province, members of the Kurdish team told Rudaw.
The top delegation representing Kurdish factions is also expected to hold talks with leaders of the major Iraqi political parties in Baghdad in addition to their planned meetings with the Iraqi president, prime minister and speaker of the parliament.
“The right of the people of Kurdistan to self-determination and referendum will be on the table. We want to find political and peaceful ways to address this issue with Baghdad, so that we arrive at an understanding while the interests of both sides are preserved,” said Adnan Mufti, a member of the Kurdish delegation.
Mufti, a former speaker of the regional parliament in Erbil, also said the hoisting of the Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk province will be discussed and called the Iraqi parliament’s opposition to it “a wrong decision.”
The Iraqi parliament voted on Saturday to repeal a decision by the Kirkuk Provincial Council last week to raise the Kurdistan flag over state buildings in the city, although the Speaker Salim Jabouri later stated that he would suspend a decision until all Kurdish and Arab factions had reached a deal on the issue.
“We believe that the Iraqi parliament’s decision in regard to removing the Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk is wrong and we want to ease the tensions that have followed ever since,” Mufti said.
The delegation is also expected to meet with the powerful Shiite leader Ammar Hakeem who has in the past enjoyed good relations with Erbil and is currently head of the Islamic Supreme Council with 29 seats in the Iraqi parliament.
Mufti did not rule out a possible meeting with former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki who has often been in the forefront of the Iraqi opposition against Kurdish aspirations for independence.
“We will talk to anyone who is ready to meet us, since we want this issue to be solved through negotiations,” Mufti added.
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