Baghdad-INA
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, on Saturday announced its full support for the government of Ali al-Zaidi and the reform measures.
A statement issued by KDP Central Committee and received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) said the Kurdistan Democratic Party's Central Committee, chaired by party leader Masoud Barzani, held an expanded meeting during which members discussed the adverse repercussions of the recent war between the United States and Iran on the Kurdistan Region and its energy infrastructure. The meeting also reaffirmed support for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in implementing the constitution and ensuring the payment of salaries, while renewing support for the Political Bureau Committee's efforts to advance the Barzani initiative and end the political deadlock in the Kurdistan Region.
The Central Committee also reaffirmed, according to the statement, the Kurdistan Democratic Party's belief that resolving disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding serves the interests of all parties and would help ensure that the region, including the Kurdistan Region, does not incur further losses.
The statement added that despite fluctuations in relations, the party had consistently sought to resolve disputes and obstacles within the framework of Iraq's permanent constitution. It noted that although problems had accumulated and efforts to address them had often been limited, the party had adhered to a path of continuous dialogue and the pursuit of solutions, particularly regarding the federal budget, financial entitlements and salaries of Kurdistan Region employees, through visits and the dispatch of delegations to Baghdad aimed at resolving outstanding issues and removing obstacles.
Regarding the formation of the new federal government cabinet headed by Ali al-Zaidi, the Central Committee said in its statement that it had extended its support and cooperation, adding: “We have provided our support and will continue to cooperate and back efforts, in the hope that the resolution of problems will no longer be neglected, as agreed with the Coordination Framework, and that the constitution will be implemented as it is, and that financial entitlements and salaries of Kurdistan Region employees will be transferred to the Kurdistan Region on time.”
The statement added that the meeting also reaffirmed support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in the steps he has begun to combat corruption, recover Iraq’s wealth to the state treasury, and prevent the waste of the country’s resources.
The statement further said that the meeting also discussed the general situation, noting that “attention was drawn to the war between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which began in late February of this year, and its impacts and repercussions on Iraq in general and the Kurdistan Region in particular,” adding that the conflict “caused damage to Iraq and Kurdistan in several sectors.”
It added that “although the Kurdistan Region was not part of that war, but unfortunately, even after the fighting stopped, rocket and drone attacks on the Kurdistan Region did not cease,” noting that these attacks had caused “significant damage and led to dozens of wounded and martyrs unjustly as a result of those strikes.”
The Central Committee said in its statement that the attacks caused significant material damage, “leading to a slowdown in commercial activity,” adding that strikes on oil companies had inflicted severe damage on energy institutions and infrastructure and resulted in the suspension of oil production, constituting a major loss not only for the region but for Iraq as a whole.
The statement added that these repercussions and the continued attacks had “caused concern among the people of Kurdistan,” noting that the Kurdistan Democratic Party believes that resolving problems through dialogue and understanding serves the interests of all parties, and that the region, including the Kurdistan Region, would not incur further losses.
The meeting praised the steps taken by the President of the Kurdistan Region and expressed support for his efforts, as well as backing the initiatives of the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region to address outstanding issues with Baghdad from all aspects, particularly the issue of financial entitlements and the salaries of Kurdistan region employees. It considered it appropriate to continue these efforts and steps, “out of a sense of national and patriotic responsibility and a firm belief in mutual acceptance and peaceful coexistence within the Republic of Iraq.”
The statement concluded by noting that the meeting was held in a atmosphere focused on addressing the problems and concerns of the people of Kurdistan, advancing the political process in the region, and strengthening relations with the federal government as well as with Shiite and Sunni political forces in Iraq.
