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Iraq’s Kurdish autonomy intends to hold referendum on independence

Politics Materials 28 May 2014 10:38 (UTC +04:00)
Head of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani said that the autonomy can hold a referendum on independence, Al JazeeraTurk TV channel reported on May 28.
Iraq’s Kurdish autonomy intends to hold referendum on independence

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 28
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Head of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani said that the autonomy can hold a referendum on independence, Al JazeeraTurk TV channel reported on May 28.

Barzani explained this by the fact that the Kurds do not agree with the policy of the country's prime minister and will not participate in Maliki's government.

"If Maliki [Iraqi Prime Minister] is elected for the third term, Erbil [the capital of Kurdish autonomy] will hold a referendum on independence," Barzani added.

"Erbil will reduce relations with Baghdad to zero," he added.

The parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on April 30. Some 328 deputies of the Iraqi Council of Representatives were elected. The country's parliament elects the president and prime minister.

Following the elections, Sunni bloc Muttahida headed by Usama al-Nujayfi will be represented in the parliament by 23 MPs, "Watani" bloc headed by Iyad Allawi - 22 MP's and prime minister's party "State of Law Coalition" - 92 deputies.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari is expected to be nominated as a candidate for the presidential post. He was a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the 1990s and was appointed Foreign Minister of Iraq in 2003.

Earlier, it was reported that Iraqi political groups are ready to confront the claims of current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to stay for the third term.

To remain at his post, Maliki needs the support of the Sunnis and Kurds, as well as Shiite political parties that have expressed dissatisfaction with the policy of the prime minister.

Edited by CN

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