Barzani's Aide: Iraq Failed Federalism and Power-Sharing



ERBIL—
The chief for political and public relations at Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani's office stated in Ankara that the plan for the independence referendum of Kurdistan Region is irreversible, underlining that the process is not related to the other parts of Kurdistan.

Hemin Hawrami made the remarks at a panel in which Ilnur Civik, Turkish president's advisor, Hisham Alwawi, Iraqi ambassador to Ankara, and Hamza Jobouri, the former director of Nahrain Center also participated in the discussion over the due referendum in Kurdistan.


Hawrami said the referendum will take place on September 25, 2017, as it has been scheduled, and they day after polls Kurdistan political leadership will launch serious dialogue to enforce the rest of the measures on the basis of the outcomes of the opinion polls.


The official also stressed even after conducting the process, Iraq will remain Kurdistan's strategic ally and the two parties will continue coordination in the war against Islamic State (IS) and many other respects.


Kurdistan will also continue supporting Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and the Iraqi forces, Hawrami remarked.


Regarding the reasons which pushed Kurdistan to consider the independence referendum, Hawrami said Iraqi government "failed federalism and power-sharing."


The official stated the Iraqi government did not enforce any of the agreements while it reduced Kurdistan's role in Baghdad and cut Kurdistan budget.


He added thought the former PM Nouri al-Maliki issued the order to suspend Kurdistan Region's budget in 2014, the succeeding government under Abadi also carried on with the sanction against Kurdish people and government.


Kurdistan Region tried all the ways to create a true partnership government with Baghdad but the culture of denying Kurdistan Region and depriving Kurds will lead to a vague future, Hawrami remarked.

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