Secretary Muna Kahveci and UNAMI discuss rights of components and next Kurdistan Parliament election

Kurdistan Parliament Secretary Muna Kahveci on 10 February 2022 welcomed Mr. Choi Kwang-Koo, political adviser responsible for minorities at UNAMI’s Baghdad office, and his colleagues.

They discussed the political and security situation and the latest political developments in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the wider area.

Secretary Kahveci gave her views on the situation and rights of Kurdistan Region’s ethnic and religious communities. She said, "The component nations’ rights are enshrined in law and they actively participate in Kurdistan Region's parliament and government. In the Kurdistan Parliament elections, seats are reserved for the different components so that they represent their communities."

The Parliament Secretary said, "The situation in the [Kurdistani areas outside the KRG administration] should be normalised as soon as possible and security should be restored for the people of these areas."

Secretary Kahveci and Mr. Kwang-Koo also discussed the Kurdistan election law and the amendment of the Law on the Kurdistan High Electoral Commission, and the differences of opinion of the political parties on the whole process.

Secretary Kahveci said, "The components’ rights within these three issues must be protected and they should not be marginalized. The consensus of all political parties in the Kurdistan Region on these issues is important and there must be compromise and agreement. And especially for the components, their rights must be protected and they must be represented in the electoral commission and in the Kurdistan Constitution drafting committee. The number of reserved parliamentary seats for the components must be preserved, as this strengthens the culture of coexistence and unity between all parties, ethnicities and religions in the Kurdistan Region."

Mr. Choi Kwang-Koo emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of Kurdistan Region’s components and commended Kurdistan for its strong culture of peaceful coexistence.