Statement on meeting of Kurdistan Region’s three presidencies and political parties

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on 8 January chaired a meeting of Kurdistan’s three presidencies and political parties, which was attended by Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq, Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, and leaders of Kurdistan’s political parties. 

The meeting focused on Iraq and the region, and assessment of the impact of recent events on the Kurdistan Region. The meeting reached the following conclusions:

1. The meeting discussed the latest events in Iraq. The participants reiterated Kurdistan Region’s position that these dangerous developments are not in anyone’s interests, least of all Iraq’s ethnic groups. Therefore we urge all sides to exercise restraint, and we ask all the Iraqi factions and parties and the Iraqi federal organizations to do their utmost to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for settling rivalries, and to ensure that the disadvantaged people of Iraq do not become the victims of the escalations, and that this situation should not be used as a pretext to overlook the legitimate grievances of the Iraqi people and protestors.
2. The unity of the Kurdistani factions in the Iraqi Parliament was greatly appreciated and recognized at the meeting. The participants restated the necessity of working together, and restated all the political parties’ main objective of preserving the unity of the Kurdistani factions in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region to serve the interests of the people of Kurdistan.
3. The political parties reiterated their commitment to the Kurdistan Region’s institutions and the Kurdistan Region’s protection and security.
4. The meeting regarded the unilateral steps taken by the Iraqi Parliament on 5 January with concern, and saw it as a violation of the principles of political consensus and of the federal state, and considered it a destabilizing factor to the political process in Iraq.
5. The participants reiterated that future steps with Iraqi parties will be taken in consultation and with the contribution of all the Kurdistani parties.