MESOP LATEST : Kurds Preset Two Conditions for New Central Government

10.07.2014 –  Bestun Kakayi – BasNews, Baghdad – Kurdish officials have outlined two main conditions on which they will then agree to participate in the new Iraqi government. If they are not met, the officials say they will not take part in the cabinet.

Kamal Karkuki, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Relations Department told Turkish news agency Anadolu that the ability to hold a referendum and the right to independence are Kurdish rights. Karkuki explained that these reasons are not being used as a pressure card against the central government.

Karkuki admitted that this time their requests won’t be met easily when brought in front of the government.Karkuki elaborated on the conditions, mentioning that Kurdistan should have an independent economy and the situation of the disputed regions needs to be resolved.The latter condition has been a conflicting issue even before ISIS attacks, who took control of Mosul and Tikrit cities earlier this month. “We tried very hard to live with Baghdad, we  accepted federalism- but over the last ten years, Baghdad has proved that they don’t believe in federalism,” concluded Karkuki.