Zebari: Kurds to Discuss Ministerial Posts in Baghdad, With Conditions

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s outgoing foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari said Kurdish delegates are heading to Bagdad to negotiate ministerial posts in the new Iraqi government, and called for Kurdistan rights and demands to be respected.

“The decision of the Kurdish leadership and all the Kurdish parties is that we should participate in the next government, but it must be based on our rights. We won’t take part without a clear plan,” Zebari, himself a Kurd, warned in an interview with Rudaw.

He said the Kurds have proven they are strong and have the backing of the international community, which has sent arms and other tactical support for the Peshmerga’s fight against the Islamic State (IS/ISIS).

“The strength is in our unity, the entire world has come to support us,” Zebari declared. “The US, the United Nations, the European Union and the UN Security Council have all come to help the Kurds,” he said, referring to military and humanitarian aid that has been pouring into Kurdistan since the IS armies began an advance on Kurdish territories.

“This sends a strong message and makes the status of the Kurds clear to everyone,” he noted.

Zebari, who served as foreign minister for 11 years and clashed with outgoing prime minister Nouri al-Maliki at the end of his term, said it is unclear whether he would be reappointed in the next government.

But he insisted that Iraq should form a government that represents all ethnic and religious groups.

“All of the posts depend on the outcome of negotiations for the new government. Nothing is guaranteed,” he said regarding his possible reappointment.

Zebari and other Kurdish ministers formally suspended their participation in the Iraqi government last month, after Maliki accused Erbil of harboring terrorists.

IS armies have captured large parts of territory in northern Iraq since June and have declared a Caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

Referring to a meeting of Kurdish political parties to discuss the formation of a negotiating team in Baghdad, Zebari said that Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani had decided the talks would involve the five main Kurdish parties.

“Baghdad asked that the (Shiite) National Alliance, the Coalition of National Forces and the Kurdistan Alliance assign negotiators in order to form the next government. Each alliance was asked to choose three negotiators. We discussed the issue with the Kurdish parties and recognize that these are the terms, but that doesn’t mean that all (other) parties will be left out of the negotiations,” said Zebari.

“However, we need to commit to the decision and we need to send the names of negotiators to Baghdad. We’re heading to Baghdad now, but it’s more about assessing the political situation -- where it stands and where it’s headed -- for our leadership,” said Zebari.

He added it would be up to the Kurdish leadership to decide on the names of negotiators.

Zebari said that “the previous government made many major mistakes,” explaining that the Kurds would participate in the new government with conditions.

“If there is a guarantee to respect (Kurdish rights), then we will participate. If not then we will not take part randomly. Our participation should be based on an agenda and some guarantees. This way, past mistakes (under Maliki’s government) won’t be repeated.”

He said that replacing Maliki as prime minister was a major and significant step, and that the Kurds undoubtedly played a role in his replacement.

“The whole world is waiting for the new government to be different than previous ones -- to be a broad-based, national unity government that represents Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and Yezidis. It must be a reflection of all Iraqi ethnicities and sects, and to have a clear agenda. The era of making promises is over,” he underscored.

Regarding the new designated prime minister Haider al-Abadi’s position toward the Kurds, Zebari said: “It’s too early to judge him.

“We know him and the role he plays now will be different from (his) role in Parliament. Now he has a responsibility and needs to form the government within a month. Otherwise, someone else might be named (prime minister).”

Zebari said that Arab countries were sending aid and trying to understand what was happening in Iraq, but that no Arab country stood behind IS.

“Some Arab countries have sent aid and we are in constant communication with them. They aren’t necessarily without a position, but the picture probably isn’t clear for them. But no Arab country is with IS, because IS is their number one threat.”