Yawar Says Fire In Kirkuk Will Burn Iraq, Calls For Strong Central Government

June 12, 2005

Iraqi Vice President Ghazi al-Yawar has accused "international parties, organizations and intelligence services of seeking to sow sedition" in Iraq "by weakening the government".

In an interview with Al-Hayat, he warned of the Kirkuk issue's repercussions, saying any "fire" in the city would burn Iraq.

He also warned that the permanent constitution "will be shaky and liable to amendment" if it was the result of an "incomplete participation" by any sector, like the Arab Sunnis.

He added that the "national identity had started to vanish as a result of the movement into sectarian and national trenches" and called for "opening an unconditional dialogue between all the people's groups" so as to avoid "being dragged behind the parties that want to sow sedition".

On Southern Kurdistan and the Kurdish city of Kirkuk Yawar said that "the State Administration Law is explicit in allowing the governorates to unite as one region if their elected councils decide to do so. I believe there are compelling reasons for establishing the Kurdistan region due to the status quo that was imposed throughout the 1990s. But I do not think that the calls to establish federations in the south and elsewhere are realistic. Iraq needs firstly a strong central government and then we can think about administrative decentralization."

As to the Kirkuk problem Yawar added that "Kirkuk which personifies a miniature Iraq, solving it will solve Iraq's problems as a whole. A fire in Kirkuk will necessarily burn Iraq, God forbid. There the issue must be handled with care and transparency. I am opposed to forcing any Iraqi to leave any spot in the country but I support the right to return for those displaced (Kurds) from the city."