KDP Launches Election Campaign in Erbil with Call for Partnership and Resolution of Baghdad Disputes

Peregraf- The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) officially launched its campaign for the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 11, with a rally in Erbil.

Speaking at the opening event, KDP leader Massoud Barzani emphasized the campaign’s slogan, "Partnership, Balance, Compatibility," which he described as the principles upon which Iraq was rebuilt in 2003 after the fall of the Ba’ath regime.

Barzani expressed hope that the upcoming elections would open a new chapter in relations between Erbil and Baghdad. "I hope this election brings a new opportunity and that the mistakes made, both by them and by us, are not repeated," he said.

Criticizing Iraq’s current parliamentary election law, Barzani called it "unfair," arguing that it fails to represent individuals and political parties according to their actual size and influence. He added that the law must be reformed in future elections.

Turning to the long-standing disputes between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government, the KDP leader said that the failure to implement Iraq’s constitution lies at the heart of the problems. Barzani read several constitutional articles related to the Kurdistan Region’s rights, accusing successive governments in Baghdad of neglecting them.

On the oil and gas issue, Barzani recalled negotiations held in 2007 in Pirmam with delegations from the Kurdistan Region, the federal government, and international experts, in the presence of U.S. and U.K. ambassadors. "We reached a proper agreement on the oil and gas law, but when the project went to the Council of Ministers, a minister dismissed it by saying, ‘Kurds cannot distinguish between oil and water, why should we commit to such an obligation?!’ They did not let the law pass. That’s why the oil and gas issue is Baghdad’s fault," he said.

Barzani voiced hope that the trilateral agreement involving the Kurdistan Regional Government, the federal government, and international oil companies will remain in place and eventually pave the way for the adoption of a national oil and gas law.