Kurds say
to leave government if demands not met
By Kareem Zair
Azzaman, February 6, 2008
The Kurds will withdraw from the
government of Prime Minister Noori al-Maliki
if their share of the country’s oil revenues
is reduced.
Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of
parliament, and a veteran Kurdish politician
accused “certain political factions” in the
government of attempts to “slash the gains
Kurds have made” since a U.S.-led invasion
toppled the regime of former leader Saddam
Hussein.
Othman accused some Arab parliamentary
blocs, both Shiite and Sunni, of attempts to
“ignite Arab-Kurdish strife.”
Tension between Arab Sunnis and Shiites
has subsided recently with tribal leaders,
clergymen and politicians of both sides
working together to reduce levels of
violence.
Othman said both Arab Sunnis and Shiites
were trying to undermine the Kurds.
Kurdish delegations some headed by Othman
himself are in talks with Maliki on the
percentage of oil money that will go to
their regional budget.
The Kurds demand 17 percent but the
government and its Arab allies say the
figure is not representative of the
population of their semi-independent enclave
currently including the three province of
Dahouk, Arbil and Sulaimaniya.
This year’s budget has yet to be approved
by the parliament but differences over
Kurdish share have blocked the approval.
MPs from both Shiite and Sunni blocs are
said to have vowed turn down any budget
proposal that meets Kurdish demands on oil
royalties.
But Othman said if the parliament rejects
the proposal, the Kurds will leave the
government.
A Kurdish departure will deny Maliki the
parliamentary majority but analysts say Arab
factions, both Shiite and Sunni, which have
so far shunned the government, may join in.
“Some elements in the parliament carry
Chauvinistic minds,” said Othman in the
harshest criticism of the current Shiite and
Sunni liaison in parliament.
In response, some MPs alleged that the
Kurds were fomenting the sectarian strife
and were not happy to see it subsiding.
Othman denied the allegations.
