Iraqi Govt. Ready for Dialogue on Condition of Canceling Kurdish Referendum

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi addresses the media during a joint news conference with Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani in Irbil, April 6, 2015. (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi addresses the media during a joint news conference with Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani in Irbil, April 6, 2015. (Reuters)
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Iraqi Govt. Ready for Dialogue on Condition of Canceling Kurdish Referendum

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi addresses the media during a joint news conference with Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani in Irbil, April 6, 2015. (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi addresses the media during a joint news conference with Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani in Irbil, April 6, 2015. (Reuters)

The Iraqi government on Monday responded to calls by Kurdistan to engage in dialogue, by calling on the province to cancel the results of the independence referendum, which was held last month.

In a brief statement, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s spokesman, Saad al-Hodeithi, underlined the need for the Kurdish province to “commit to the Constitution and the decisions of the federal court”, noting that the results of the “unconstitutional referendum should be canceled before engaging in any serious dialogue to promote Iraq’s unity.”

His comments followed an announcement by the Kurds of the establishment of a political leadership council for Iraq’s Kurdistan, calling on the government in Baghdad to launch “a serious dialogue.”

A source close to the Iraqi prime minister told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We regret attempts to divide the country and separate the North ... I think that Baghdad will not negotiate with the Kurdistan Political Council, because it emerged from the unrecognized referendum council.”

Other Iraqi sources said that a group of Kurdish deputies arrived in Baghdad on Monday to attend a parliamentary session the next day. However, they were informed by Vice President Nouri al-Maliki’s deputies that they would be prevented from entering parliament until they renounce the referendum.

Earlier this week, Maliki called for deploying all efforts “to prevent the outbreak of fighting with the Kurdish people and to foil attempts to ignite a military conflict to cover up the failure of the leadership of the province.”

He welcomed in a statement issued by his office “the return of our brothers, including MPs and employees, who rejected Barzani’s plot and who formed a high opposition rate during the vote on the referendum”.

He also called on countries, which “were behind this adventure to leave Iraq to its people”.



CENTCOM Nominee: US Needs Troops in Syria to Stop ISIS Comeback

US Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper 
US Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper 
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CENTCOM Nominee: US Needs Troops in Syria to Stop ISIS Comeback

US Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper 
US Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper 

ISIS remains a threat in Syria and a US military presence is still needed there to deal with it, US Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said in his confirmation hearing to become the next head of US Central Command.

The Pentagon has already decided to significantly reduce the number of troops in the country from 2,000 to fewer than 1,000.

But Cooper told the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 24 there is a continued need for at least some presence. And he argued that the complex situation in Syria needs to be weighed before making additional troop cuts.

“Presence is indispensable in the execution of the counter-ISIS mission today,” said Cooper, who currently serves as the deputy commander of CENTCOM, which oversees US forces in the Middle East.

“We have led it. We lead it today, and I anticipate we’ll lead it into the future. Every decision made on force posture is going to be conditions-based as I look to the future,” he added.

When asked by Senator Joni Ernst about the church bombing in Syria few days ago, Cooper said, “We are focused on this problem set every single day. ISIS remains a threat, and as we look to the future, and if confirmed, I will remain nose down on this threat. It is an absolute priority.”

Cooper said the US was right to back Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa and that he was a vital partner in the campaign against ISIS.

“ISIS thrives in chaos,” Cooper said. “If the government of Syria, now seven months into their existence, can help suppress that ISIS threat, along with the US forces in the region, that stability helps create our own security.”

He added, “I think, given the dynamic nature of what’s happening today, that assessment [of required US troops in Syria] in the future could look different than it does today, perhaps.”

Cooper said the US played—and continues to play—a central role in the anti-ISIS campaign.

“The United States has led this mission from the outset. We still lead it today, and I expect that leadership to continue as we move forward, guided by operational realities,” he affirmed.