Wednesday, August 4th 2010
Former minister: Kurds' role is not declining
Erbil, A former Kurdish minister in the Iraqi government says that the Kurds’ role in Iraq has not decreased and the reason the Kurds have not been intensely engaged in the talks on forming a new government is because it is not clear yet who they should talk to.
“The talks are between the larger blocs now,” said Abdurrahman Sediq, a former minister of environment in the Iraqi government after the 2003 war. “After the prime ministerial candidate is designated, he will start talking to other groups and will take their proposals. That is when the Kurds’ real role will begin.”
Sediq was a senior leader in the Kurdistan Islamic Union before he resigned last year.
A Kurdish delegation that was in Baghdad to negotiate with other Iraqi parties over the establishment of the country’s future government, suspended its talks and returned to Kurdistan last week.
The delegation cited the political deadlock as the reason behind breaking off talks for now.
Some in Baghdad and Kurdistan have criticized Kurdish politicians for not seriously involving themselves in the negotiations in Baghdad.
The country has been in a state of crisis since last March’s parliamentary elections as political forces have failed to form a new government.
The groups are deeply divided over who should occupy the state’s top three positions of prime minister, president and speaker of parliament.
“Some people mistakenly say that the Kurds are not saying anything and do not have a clear position. This is a wrong view, because it is too early for Kurds to do anything,” said Sediq. “Kurds do not know who they should talk to. It’s not time for Kurds to talk. They don’t have the floor yet. The Kurds will talk when the prime ministerial nominee is chosen.”
The two major groups vying for the prime minister's position are the State of Law Coalition (SLC) and al-Iraqiya. The SLC, with 89 parliamentary seats, is led by the outgoing prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki; while Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister and a secular Shia, heads the al-Iraqiya, which holds 91 seats.
Former minister: Kurds' role is not declining
Erbil, A former Kurdish minister in the Iraqi government says that the Kurds’ role in Iraq has not decreased and the reason the Kurds have not been intensely engaged in the talks on forming a new government is because it is not clear yet who they should talk to.
“The talks are between the larger blocs now,” said Abdurrahman Sediq, a former minister of environment in the Iraqi government after the 2003 war. “After the prime ministerial candidate is designated, he will start talking to other groups and will take their proposals. That is when the Kurds’ real role will begin.”
Sediq was a senior leader in the Kurdistan Islamic Union before he resigned last year.
A Kurdish delegation that was in Baghdad to negotiate with other Iraqi parties over the establishment of the country’s future government, suspended its talks and returned to Kurdistan last week.
The delegation cited the political deadlock as the reason behind breaking off talks for now.
Some in Baghdad and Kurdistan have criticized Kurdish politicians for not seriously involving themselves in the negotiations in Baghdad.
The country has been in a state of crisis since last March’s parliamentary elections as political forces have failed to form a new government.
The groups are deeply divided over who should occupy the state’s top three positions of prime minister, president and speaker of parliament.
“Some people mistakenly say that the Kurds are not saying anything and do not have a clear position. This is a wrong view, because it is too early for Kurds to do anything,” said Sediq. “Kurds do not know who they should talk to. It’s not time for Kurds to talk. They don’t have the floor yet. The Kurds will talk when the prime ministerial nominee is chosen.”
The two major groups vying for the prime minister's position are the State of Law Coalition (SLC) and al-Iraqiya. The SLC, with 89 parliamentary seats, is led by the outgoing prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki; while Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister and a secular Shia, heads the al-Iraqiya, which holds 91 seats.
None of the groups has the 163-seat majority necessary to form the government.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/170589/
