Jan 10, 2002
Iraqi Kurdistan Dispatch
In a press conference held by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP, media channels, on 1 January 2002 on the occasion of the New Year, the KDP leader, Mr Mas’ud Barzani pointed to several current issues related to the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Regarding the process of reconciliation between his party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK, Barzani said that positive steps were taken last year in their effort to settle their differences, and that “appropriate [common] grounds have been found, and confidence between both sides have been rebuilt to a great extent.»

He added: “for the time being, we have only one problem that remains to be settled. It is the issue of the parliament and its function. We, the KDP and PUK, have two different interpretations of the Washington agreement’s clauses … Washington agreement stipulates that the parliament is to resume work [with PUK MPs] on the basis of the 1992 elections’ results; which means 51 [seats] for the KDP and 49 for the PUK. We, in the KDP, agreed and also accepted that the chairmanship of the parliament be regularly alternated between the KDP and PUK, and that the duty of the parliament be set out, not after a new election but until a new election is held under normal conditions, and could amend the election laws if necessary. Regarding important issues which may emerge; they should be dealt with by consensus … I can speak for the KDP and say with confidence that the KDP has strong political will for peace; and I see that the PUK stresses the same thing”.

Regarding the fear that some countries, namely Turkey, express regarding a possible establishment of an independent Kurdish state in Northern Iraq, Barzani repeated KDP’s earlier stance. 

 He stated: “Like any other people and nation, the Kurds should enjoy their rights … At the same time, we should be realistic, we should know our limits. We understand very well the regional and world situation. We, as Kurds, have not asked for a Kurdish state. This does not mean that it is not our right; it is our right. But we know that our situation is not appropriate to raise this slogan. Our claim is the settlement to the Kurdish issue on the basis of federalism, which the [1992] elected Kurdistan parliament has called for it. Here, we speak about Iraqi Kurdistan within a democratic Iraq. The Kurdistan parliament expresses the people’s will … There is no doubt that if security and stability prevail in the [Kurdish] region, they will have impact on the surrounding areas also. The more Kurdish rights are fulfilled, the better the security of these [surrounding] countries would be ensured.”

Regarding recent reports on possible strike against Iraq as part of the war against terrorism, and which reportedly, aims at changing the political system in this country, Mas’ud Barzani Said: “We have an established policy: We do not follow anything and anyone blindly. For us, it is very important to know what will be the fate of the Kurdish people. What would be the benefits to and the position of the Kurdish people, and how Kurdish rights would be guaranteed in any change.  For us, this is a vital issue. 

“So far, these are only scenarios and proposals. No real and serious thing has so far been discussed for us to declare our stance. But our stance would always be based on the interests of the Iraqi and Kurdish people. We will not take any steps that may worsen the situation of the Kurdish people. We will take steps which could only improve it [Kurds situation] and when we have a guarantee of that.”