Deterioration in relations between Kurds and Arabs is threat to Iraq's unity, says Islamic Supreme Council chief
30/04/2012 10:30

Council of Iraq (ISCI) Adel Abdul-Mahdi said any deterioration in relations between Kurds and Arabs is a threat to Iraq's unity, adding that Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr's visit to the Kurdistan Region was a "brave move".

Following his meeting with al-Sadr in Erbil, Abdul-Mahdi used his Facebook page to comment on the Sadrist leader's visit to the Kurdistan Region.

Abdul-Mahdi wrote: "Any threat to Kurds and Arab relations is a threat to Iraq's unity [and] deteriorates the political process in the country.

"The relations between the Shiite parties inside the National Iraqi Alliance is not better than other coalitions in the country."

During the visit al-Sadr also met with President of the Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Iraqiya List leader Ayad Allawi.

The meeting came at a time when political disputes between Erbil and Baghdad increased and posed a threat to Kurdish-Arab relations.

Sadr and other parties who visited the Kurdistan Region confirmed that the Erbil agreement must be implemented.

The agreement proposed by Barzani ended a nine-month dispute over who should run the government following March 2010's elections. The deal, which was signed by all the major political party leaders in Erbil, reinstated Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for the second successive term.

Maliki's elections rival, Allawi, whose Iraqiya List won the elections, was promised a National Council for Strategic Policies in return for his concession over the PM post. The council was not formed and the PM's State of Law Coalition and Iraqiya began incriminating and accusing each other of violating the Erbil pact.

https://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/304493/