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Kurds Threaten To Pull Out Of Iraqi Coalition Government

December 16, 2010

BAGHDAD -- The Kurdistan Alliance will not participate in the new Iraqi cabinet unless the major Shi'ite parliament faction, the National Alliance (NA), agrees to its "position paper" outlining 19 key demands, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq reports.

The Kurds attach great importance to signing the 19-point paper as it is tantamount to a government program, senior Kurdistan Alliance parliamentarian Mahmoud Othman told RFI.

He said failure to sign the paper would be a serious setback to the political process, because in that case the Kurds will not participate in the government currently being formed.

Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki is expected to announce his government on December 23, two days before the deadline set by the constitution for doing so.

The Kurdish demands include key positions in the government; recognition of contracts signed by the Kurdish Regional Government with foreign oil companies but considered illegal by Baghdad; and a solution to disputed areas, above all, multi-ethnic oil-rich Kirkuk, under article 140 of the constitution. That article provides for overcoming the aftermath of Kirkuk's Arabization by former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, a census in the province, and a referendum on joining or remaining outside the Kurdish region.

Othman said only one of the 19 demands is being reformulated, that which states that if the Kurdish ministers withdraw from the government, it shall disband or be dissolved.

But National Alliance parliamentary bloc member Saad al-Muttalibi told RFI that no paper will be signed, and agreement on the Kurdish demands will be reached by consensus, as is generally the rule in Iraqi politics.

Al-Muttalibi said the objection centers on the Kurds' demands that the National Alliance sign the paper, rather than on its contents.

Meanwhile, National Alliance parliamentary group member Hussein al-Safi told RFI that the Shi'ite bloc will have 19 ministries in the new cabinet, including the oil portfolio and three state ministries without portfolio.

Kadhum al-Shammari, a member of the Sunni-backed Al Iraqiya parliamentary group, told RFI that al Iraqiya's overall share is 11 ministries, including the finance and defense ministries.

Al-Shammari said negotiations are continuing on the ministry of higher education, to which both al Iraqiya and the National Alliance have laid claim.

Kurdish parliamentary bloc member Saeed Rasoul told RFI that the Kurds will have six or seven ministries, including foreign affairs.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/kurds_coalition_pullout_iraq/2250648.html

Copyright (c) 2010. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.