Saturday, 25 December 2010
Parliament approves al-Maliki's Cabinet
Erbil, Kurds seek resolutions for pending issues after new ministers named
Iraq's "fractious political blocs" have filled most of the Cabinet, with 10 spots being granted to interim ministers until they can be filled.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki comforted Kurds over Kurdistan Regional Government's fair share of the 2012 budget, just one of the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, and the new Oil Minister of al-Maliki's newly approved Cabinet promises to settle problems with the KRG. Kurds were pleased with this news, which was delivered shortly after Iraqi Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve the new Cabinet.
The new ministers held their first meeting on Wednesday. Following almost nine months of political deadlock, al-Maliki told ministers in a live speech: "We must have a clear policy in the sectors of security, finance, oil, electricity and on improving our foreign relations. The challenges facing us are enormous."
In his speech addressed to Parliament, al-Maliki frankly expressed his dissatisfaction on the way Cabinet is formed. "The Cabinet I announce fits neither the extent of my ambitions nor the political parties' and people's ambition," said al-Maliki, blaming political deadlock.
He described it as "hard" to form the national unity government in a country that consists of multi-ethnical and sectarian loyalties. Some lists that hold only one or two seats in Parliament also demanded a ministerial portfolio, and he complained, calling on Parliament to review the electoral law. Parliament must decide whether the government is "either to be a government of the majority allowing the prime be able to choose ministers of his willing, or a government of national participation [like the current one] based on the rate of seats in Parliament," which he suggested be adapted for coming rounds. He chose the ministers, reportedly, even without seeing their profiles in advance.
"Under pressure from al-Iraqiya list and other parties, al-Maliki had to accept the candidates and not all of them are competent," commented an Iraqiya Parliament member. He believes this government will be worse than the previous one. Regardless,, al-Maliki said he does not want to be "pessimistic" and assured that this government will be stronger than the previous one if all parties stand by him.
The structure
The Cabinet of 44 members, mostly Parliament members, is distributed among Iraq's fractious political blocs but not yet completely filled. Ten remaining Cabinet posts are granted to interim ministers; al-Maliki is holding three ministries of Interior, Defense and National Security temporarily. He has promised to name independent candidates for the security portfolios. Also this time, al-Maliki has three deputy prime ministers, a Kurd, Sunni and Shiite. The Cabinet also contains a number of ministers of State.
The very blame facing al-Maliki is the absence of a fair number of women in his Cabinet. One woman holds Ministry of State, meaning it is without a ministerial budget. A second woman refused to take the Ministry of State for Women's Affairs; this ministry is under Minister of Affairs Hushiyar Zebari temporarily.
Kurdish lawmaker Alla Talabani firmly criticized the political parties and al-Maliki because they have no female candidates for the Cabinet. "Democracy is now beheaded in Iraq," said Talabani, addressing Parliament.
One party as opposition
Gorran Movement, a Kurdish party with Suleimaniya as its headquarters, remained as the only bloc outside the Cabinet. Gorran's eight members in Iraqi Parliament left the Tuesday session to express complaints at being ignored in the national government. The party, which acts as opposition in Kurdistan Parliament, had already withdrawn from the coalition of Kurdistan blocs in Baghdad due to disputes mostly relevant to Kurdistan's internal issues.
In a statement, Garran officially announced their decision to remain as an opposition party rather than hold ministerial posts within the Kurdistan Coalition. The statement says Gorran had both "legal and national rights" to take ministerial posts; as for disallowing them any post, Gorran pointed an accusing finger at al-Maliki and the Kurdish leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led by Iraq's President Jalal Talabani for arranging covert deals against the movement.
Gorran said it will not return to the Kurdistan Coalition for the sake of receiving posts unless the two Kurdish parties governing in Kurdistan Region accept a project Gorran suggested for reformations in the region. Gorran's accusations were soon answered in a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency office on Wednesday.
"After Gorran withdrew from the Kurdistan Coalition, they were asked to return and then to receive their share in the Iraqi new Cabinet, but they didn't answer the call," read the presidential statement. "...They insisted on holding negotiations by themselves, alone in Baghdad. They did not want to have to share within the [Kurdistan] Coalition, and could not receive anything by themselves in Baghdad. Then why should they complain to us?" read the statement, adding that they hoped Gorran will take a ministry, "which would strengthen the [Kurdish] presence in Baghdad." Despite this, both Gorran's and the Kurdistan Region Presidency's statement assured the unity of Kurds in Baghdad in favor of Kurdish interests.
Erbil-Baghdad relations
Kurds hope to resolve important suspended issues with the Baghdad government, including the issue of KRG oil development, KRG's share of the budget, the Constitution's Article 140 on disputed areas and others. In a recent meeting of Parliament to discuss the 2011 budget, Kurdish members exited the session after objecting to an item of the draft budget that contains a condition that affects the KRG's share. The condition says the KRG gets its 17% of the budget when it allows for exporting the region's oil. On its part, KRG allows exportation of its oil when Baghdad pays companies that have developed the region's oil fields.
KRG Prime Minister Barham Salih phoned al-Maliki, asking him "to resolve the shortages in the draft budget," Kurdish Parliament member Mahmud Osman told Xendan news agency. In return, al-Makili has promised to take over the issue, according to Osman.
Also, Kurds hope to end the disputes on oil as a new minister has taken in office. During the past four years, tensions occurred several times between KRG leaders and former Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani who insisted on not recognizing KRG's oil projects as legal, thus the former Parliament halted to issue the country's oil law.
"Appointing Abdul-Kareem Luaibi as the Minister of Oil is welcomed. He is an expert and able to rescue the oil issue crises currently," stated Dr. Ali Hussein Balo, an advisor for the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources. Luaibi, also from al-Maliki's Shiite bloc' the same as al-Shahristani--was deputy Minister of Oil in the former Cabinet.
Reportedly Kurds insisted on not letting al-Shahristani hold the Oil Ministry for the second time because of his firm stance against KRG oil policies. However, al-Shahristani now acts as deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, thus instructing both oil and electricity ministries. Luaibi, in a recent statement, announced that he will continue negotiations with the KRG "aimed at reaching solutions to serve the common interest."
Balo expected the KRG problems with Baghdad to be settled in the near future as there is a new minister and, more importantly, al-Maliki has fully agreed to a Kurdish letter of 19 demands.
According to that letter, the oil problems between Erbil and Baghdad must end in six months.
Among the Kurdish demand is the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, which decides the future of disputed areas including the oil-rich Kirkuk.
While reading his government program in Parliament, al-Maliki confirmed that his new Cabinet will order the continuation of the work of committees in charge of implementing that article.
Parliament approves al-Maliki's Cabinet
Erbil, Kurds seek resolutions for pending issues after new ministers named
Iraq's "fractious political blocs" have filled most of the Cabinet, with 10 spots being granted to interim ministers until they can be filled.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki comforted Kurds over Kurdistan Regional Government's fair share of the 2012 budget, just one of the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, and the new Oil Minister of al-Maliki's newly approved Cabinet promises to settle problems with the KRG. Kurds were pleased with this news, which was delivered shortly after Iraqi Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve the new Cabinet.
The new ministers held their first meeting on Wednesday. Following almost nine months of political deadlock, al-Maliki told ministers in a live speech: "We must have a clear policy in the sectors of security, finance, oil, electricity and on improving our foreign relations. The challenges facing us are enormous."
In his speech addressed to Parliament, al-Maliki frankly expressed his dissatisfaction on the way Cabinet is formed. "The Cabinet I announce fits neither the extent of my ambitions nor the political parties' and people's ambition," said al-Maliki, blaming political deadlock.
He described it as "hard" to form the national unity government in a country that consists of multi-ethnical and sectarian loyalties. Some lists that hold only one or two seats in Parliament also demanded a ministerial portfolio, and he complained, calling on Parliament to review the electoral law. Parliament must decide whether the government is "either to be a government of the majority allowing the prime be able to choose ministers of his willing, or a government of national participation [like the current one] based on the rate of seats in Parliament," which he suggested be adapted for coming rounds. He chose the ministers, reportedly, even without seeing their profiles in advance.
"Under pressure from al-Iraqiya list and other parties, al-Maliki had to accept the candidates and not all of them are competent," commented an Iraqiya Parliament member. He believes this government will be worse than the previous one. Regardless,, al-Maliki said he does not want to be "pessimistic" and assured that this government will be stronger than the previous one if all parties stand by him.
The structure
The Cabinet of 44 members, mostly Parliament members, is distributed among Iraq's fractious political blocs but not yet completely filled. Ten remaining Cabinet posts are granted to interim ministers; al-Maliki is holding three ministries of Interior, Defense and National Security temporarily. He has promised to name independent candidates for the security portfolios. Also this time, al-Maliki has three deputy prime ministers, a Kurd, Sunni and Shiite. The Cabinet also contains a number of ministers of State.
The very blame facing al-Maliki is the absence of a fair number of women in his Cabinet. One woman holds Ministry of State, meaning it is without a ministerial budget. A second woman refused to take the Ministry of State for Women's Affairs; this ministry is under Minister of Affairs Hushiyar Zebari temporarily.
Kurdish lawmaker Alla Talabani firmly criticized the political parties and al-Maliki because they have no female candidates for the Cabinet. "Democracy is now beheaded in Iraq," said Talabani, addressing Parliament.
One party as opposition
Gorran Movement, a Kurdish party with Suleimaniya as its headquarters, remained as the only bloc outside the Cabinet. Gorran's eight members in Iraqi Parliament left the Tuesday session to express complaints at being ignored in the national government. The party, which acts as opposition in Kurdistan Parliament, had already withdrawn from the coalition of Kurdistan blocs in Baghdad due to disputes mostly relevant to Kurdistan's internal issues.
In a statement, Garran officially announced their decision to remain as an opposition party rather than hold ministerial posts within the Kurdistan Coalition. The statement says Gorran had both "legal and national rights" to take ministerial posts; as for disallowing them any post, Gorran pointed an accusing finger at al-Maliki and the Kurdish leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led by Iraq's President Jalal Talabani for arranging covert deals against the movement.
Gorran said it will not return to the Kurdistan Coalition for the sake of receiving posts unless the two Kurdish parties governing in Kurdistan Region accept a project Gorran suggested for reformations in the region. Gorran's accusations were soon answered in a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency office on Wednesday.
"After Gorran withdrew from the Kurdistan Coalition, they were asked to return and then to receive their share in the Iraqi new Cabinet, but they didn't answer the call," read the presidential statement. "...They insisted on holding negotiations by themselves, alone in Baghdad. They did not want to have to share within the [Kurdistan] Coalition, and could not receive anything by themselves in Baghdad. Then why should they complain to us?" read the statement, adding that they hoped Gorran will take a ministry, "which would strengthen the [Kurdish] presence in Baghdad." Despite this, both Gorran's and the Kurdistan Region Presidency's statement assured the unity of Kurds in Baghdad in favor of Kurdish interests.
Erbil-Baghdad relations
Kurds hope to resolve important suspended issues with the Baghdad government, including the issue of KRG oil development, KRG's share of the budget, the Constitution's Article 140 on disputed areas and others. In a recent meeting of Parliament to discuss the 2011 budget, Kurdish members exited the session after objecting to an item of the draft budget that contains a condition that affects the KRG's share. The condition says the KRG gets its 17% of the budget when it allows for exporting the region's oil. On its part, KRG allows exportation of its oil when Baghdad pays companies that have developed the region's oil fields.
KRG Prime Minister Barham Salih phoned al-Maliki, asking him "to resolve the shortages in the draft budget," Kurdish Parliament member Mahmud Osman told Xendan news agency. In return, al-Makili has promised to take over the issue, according to Osman.
Also, Kurds hope to end the disputes on oil as a new minister has taken in office. During the past four years, tensions occurred several times between KRG leaders and former Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani who insisted on not recognizing KRG's oil projects as legal, thus the former Parliament halted to issue the country's oil law.
"Appointing Abdul-Kareem Luaibi as the Minister of Oil is welcomed. He is an expert and able to rescue the oil issue crises currently," stated Dr. Ali Hussein Balo, an advisor for the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources. Luaibi, also from al-Maliki's Shiite bloc' the same as al-Shahristani--was deputy Minister of Oil in the former Cabinet.
Reportedly Kurds insisted on not letting al-Shahristani hold the Oil Ministry for the second time because of his firm stance against KRG oil policies. However, al-Shahristani now acts as deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, thus instructing both oil and electricity ministries. Luaibi, in a recent statement, announced that he will continue negotiations with the KRG "aimed at reaching solutions to serve the common interest."
Balo expected the KRG problems with Baghdad to be settled in the near future as there is a new minister and, more importantly, al-Maliki has fully agreed to a Kurdish letter of 19 demands.
According to that letter, the oil problems between Erbil and Baghdad must end in six months.
Among the Kurdish demand is the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, which decides the future of disputed areas including the oil-rich Kirkuk.
While reading his government program in Parliament, al-Maliki confirmed that his new Cabinet will order the continuation of the work of committees in charge of implementing that article.
