Iraqiya: No secret deal about Kirkuk's future

[Stillw8n]

Iraqiya: No secret deal about Kirkuk's future
27/09/2011 14:28

Baghdad, Sept. 27 (AKnews) - Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi denied allegations of a secret deal to incorporate the disputed city Kirkuk into the Kurdistan Region.

Yesterday, Kirkuk's Arab Council reported to have learned of a deal between the Kurds and Allawi's Iraqiya List over Kirkuk's future. These rumors were fed by a meeting between Allawi and Kurdistan Region's President Massoud Barzani on Sunday.

"The meeting between Allawi and Barzani does not threat the unity of Iraq," said Iraqiya spokeswoman Maisoun al-Damlouji.

The oil-rich city of Kirkuk - 233 km northeast of Baghdad – is of multi-ethnic makeup. Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen all claim they are the rightful heirs to the rule of the city and the surrounding province. It has been hit hard by the violence that has engulfed Iraq since the 2003 U.S-led invasion. Unlike other regions, attacks in Kirkuk have not significantly decreased in recent years, with bombings and shootings an almost daily occurrence.

Observers believe that the file of the disputed areas between Baghdad and Erbil will be a challenge for Iraq after the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country at the end of this year.

According to Iraqiya List, Allawi met Barzani to discuss the outstanding issues between the political blocs, especially the implementation of the Erbil Agreement.

The Erbil Agreement ended an eight-months deadlock after the last elections in March 2010. It basically says that Nuri al-Maliki may remain Prime Minister but Allawi, who won the election, would head the new National Council for Strategic Policies (NCSP). Also, the three important security ministries -- Security, Defense, Interior -- would be split between the parties. Today, with the NCSP still not created and the three ministries still run by Prime Minister Maliki himself, parties criticize Maliki of violating the Erbil Agreement.

Reported by Haider Ibrahim

RN/CU/AKnews


http://aknews.com/en/aknews/4/263896/