Discussion intensifies on the chance
for new elections in northern Iraq

Apr 30, 2001
Ankara - Turkish Daily News
Saadet Oruc

In light of the positive developments between the two Iraqi Kurdish groups in the last three
months, the Washington Agreement, which was signed between the two rival Iraqi Kurdish
factions, is to be put back on track.

The Iraqi Kurdish Parliament, which was elected in 1992, plans to meet again to clarify the
organization of new elections.

All the efforts are the product of two successive processes, the Ankara peace process
and the Washington Agreement, Safeen Dizayee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP) said on Sunday.

Dizayee drew attention to the certain gains reached between the two Iraqi Kurdish groups
in the last three months as a result of meetings of the two groups and the decisions taken
in the fields of the economy and politics.

It is being commented that the strategic decision taken by the rival Kurdish group in Iraq,
the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to leave and being linked with the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) opened the way for the rapid reconciliation in northern Iraq
and revitalized the opportunities in the Washington Agreement.

The Parliament was elected in 1992 as a result of elections with the participation of the
opposition factions in northern Iraq. But, the continuous clashes between the two rival Iraqi
Kurdish factions blocked the functioning of the parliament. Each party, the KDP and the
PUK, wanted to be dominant in controlling the income of the region, particularly the border
revenues from the Habour gate. Successive efforts to make peace between the two
groups failed as the two Kurdish groups did not refrain from surprising everybody with their
choices of alliance, ranging from states such as Iran and Iraq to the United States.

All the states and organizations wanted to have a say in this region, as the uncertainty
regarding the future of these lands caused an attraction difficult to explain. The United
States pushed the two groups for reconciliation and for getting out of the orbits of countries
such as Iran and Iraq. Following the efforts of U.S. diplomat, the two Kurdish leaders
were invited to Washington in October 1998 and the Washington Agreement was signed
there. The agreement asked the parliament to convene and to clarify a date for the new
elections.

Massoud Barzani, the KDP leader will come to Ankara in the first week of May. Prior to the
meeting, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials expressed satisfaction regarding the recent
steps towards reconciliation in the region during their contacts with the Iraqi Kurdish
groups.
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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com