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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has sent a letter to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General and members of the UN security council (UNSC), asking that the United Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) play a mediatory role between Erbil and Baghdad.
“The Special Representative of the Secretary General has a great potential to play a crucial role as a mediator to prepare the ground for developing a roadmap to launch a comprehensive dialogue between the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), aiming to reach structural and constitutional solutions to all outstanding issues,” read a copy of the letter sent to Rudaw English by Niyaz Barzani, Head of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy for the Presidency.
Upcoming UNSC meetings will be dedicated to discussing the extension of UNAMI’s mandate, which is due to expire at the end of May. It is headed by Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for UNAMI.
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have been particularly high in recent months, especially when it comes to budget issues.
Barzani went to Baghdad earlier this month to meet with different Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.
His visit came at a time of optimism for smoother relations between Erbil and Baghdad after parliament approved the 2021 budget.
In another part of his letter, President Barzani asks that the UNAMI be tasked with observing Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
“UNAMI can play a significant role in making sure the upcoming elections take place in a -- fair and transparent manner,” reads the letter. “As part of UNAMI's election observation, special attention needs to be given to Kirkuk and the disputed territories under Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.”
Iraq had initially planned to hold early elections on June 6. However, in January, Iraq’s Council of Ministers decided to postpone elections to October 10.
Early elections were one of the demands made at protests that began in October 2019 across central and southern Iraq. Kadhimi asked the high electoral commission in November to take “all necessary measures” to ensure the elections will be held as scheduled, and should “continuously work to guarantee a successful election.”
The delay of elections from June 6 to October 10 "is not a deviation from the principle of an early election, for it will happen in any case, and we have not compromised on early elections for it is popular demand supported by the Marja [Shiite religious authority] and it is part of the government's program," Kadhimi said at the time.
Iraqi President Barham Salih in November officially signed electoral reforms into law, dividing provinces into smaller voting constituencies for the 2021 election.
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