Kurdish parties support decision to hold referendum

Kurdish Democratic Party and National Union expressed their support for the idea to conduct a referendum to achieve Kurdistan’s independence from the Iraqi government during the coming period. The statement came during a meeting attended by Kurdistan’s President Masoud Barzani to discuss the coming referendum.

According to the statement, a number of issues have been discussed during the meeting, including the referendum, the situation in Kirkuk, and internal position of Kurdistan. The two parties decided to form a committee to discuss the issues with different political parties in Kurdistan to pave the way for determining the date of the referendum.

Kirkuk Provincial Council has made it clear that the Iraqi parliament’s decision against hosting the Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk will not be enforced. The chairman of the council, Rebwar Tallabani, explained that such a decision by the Iraqi parliament is an obvious violation against previous political accords.

He insists that the Kurdistan flag will not be taken down from the state buildings in Kirkuk as the move received favorable votes from the representatives of all Kirkuk components. Tallabani also criticized the Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri for failing to act impartial.

The Iraqi parliament approved a decision on Saturday to ban the Kurdistan flag in Kirkuk, stating that only the Iraqi flag should be raised over the government institutions across the city. Kurdish lawmakers in reaction left the session to slam the parliament’s move.

Kirkuk provincial council voted on March 28 in favour of the decision by governor Najmaddin Karim to hoist the Kurdistan flag alongside the Iraqi flag on the state buildings in the city. The decision was welcomed by the Kurdish population and part of the Arabs and Turkmens in the province.

Kirkuk is one area where Kurdistan region disputes sovereignty with Iraq. Kurdistan gained autonomous governance based on the 2005 constitution, but is still considered a part of Iraq. The region was created in 1970 based on an agreement with the Iraqi government, ending years of fierce fighting.

Both governments in Iraq and Erbil engaged in political spats over regions recaptured by Kurdish Peshmerga (army) troops from the Islamic State militants since campaigns against the group launched in October.