Printer-friendly VersionBy Ako Muhammed
The Kurdish Globe
Kurdistan Region Parliament on Wednesday voted to approve Barham Salih as the Prime Minister for the sixth Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Cabinet. The Parliament also, with majority of votes, approved Azad Barwari as Deputy Prime Minister and allowed immunity to the Cabinet's ministers. The vote came in the absence of a group of Parliament members who left the session objecting to the voting system.
This Cabinet, consisting of 19 ministries, is led by the Kurdistani List in Parliament; nearly one-third of the ministries are taken by other blocs. Kurdistani List is an alliance of the two Kurdish major parties, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by Masoud Barzani, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani; the List holds 59 seats in Parliament.
The other parties participating in this alliance government include Turkmen blocs, Christian blocs, Islamic Movement, the Socialist Party, and the Communist Party.
The Goran (Change) List, which holds 25 seats in Parliament, as well as the Kurdistan Islamic Union with six seats and Islamic Group in Kurdistan with four seats, didn't join the government and remained as opposition in Parliament.
Salih reveals his agenda
The new KRG Prime Minister delivered a speech addressing Parliament, saying that allowing immunity to his Cabinet "of course will encourage us to serve and initiate in applying the government's agenda-of renewal and reconstruction."
Salih said that his Cabinet follows "an active government" of Nechirvan Barzani, who led the unification of the duel administrations in the region and now "proudly leaves." Salih also praised the developments achieved during the past few years in the fields of services, providing electricity, drinking water, and fuel, and in the field of oil investments and economic progress.
The new Prime Minister called on ex-premier Barzani to provide him with "continued supports and advice."
Salih announced that the new government and Minister of Justice Ra'uf Rasheed will work on a program, suggested by the ex-premier, to fight the most controversial problem of "corruption."
The government's success lies in "the fight against corruption, law sovereignty, and transparency," stated Salih, explaining that such cases cannot be dealt with "in a day." He also called on establishing a transparency board to investigate parallel with the Parliamentary observing committee government performance and to uncover officials' wealth.
He also announced plans to totally unify the Peshmarga and security agencies, and to terminate aspects of duel administration. This Cabinet will work seriously "for removing parties' interferences within government affairs," he added.
The government finds its success in coordination among Parliament blocs, said Salih. "Let the opposition, as a new move, in Parliament not hinder government with negligible issues. But they can be a model for real administrative reform in favor of preceding the political and democratic process." He demanded both government and the opposition stay as one front when it comes to defending national achievements.
Talabani lends support to new KRG
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani congratulated the new government and expressed his support. President Talabani said, in his letter sent from Baghdad and read by Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Arsalan Baiiz, that this government faces a historical responsibility to meet the promises given by the governing Kurdistani List to the region's people.
"Your government must serve Kurdistan people regardless of any political and religious differences," Talabani said in the letter. "Another duty of this government is to seriously combat corruption and activate the slow sides of the government. The government must reply to the entire life necessities of our people."
Barzani guides new Cabinet
Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani delivered a speech advising the new government on several points and once again defended the Kirkuk issue.
Referring to some blocs in Iraqi Parliament, Barzani stated that some groups made the Kirkuk issue an excuse to hinder the elections, expected in January 2010. He described claims of an increase in Kirkuk's population as "false and baseless."
"Their excuses are far from reality. We want the election to be held on time," said Barzani, noting that the Kurds wont object to inspecting voters' names-a demand of Kirkuk Arabs and Turkmen-if the inspection is applied in every suspected province and not only in Kirkuk.
"This is Kurdistan's attitude. Let the whole world know, we'll never accept a special case to be imposed in Kirkuk; let what happens happen," he stated.
In his message to the new Cabinet, President Barzani emphasized that in the coming four years "strategies must be applied for achieving transparency?" and "authorities of justice must be independent and an active general prosecutor to be appointed." He also emphasized creating a tight "relation between people and government."
"Differences in viewpoints are democratic and must be respected. Therefore and at the current sensitive time, we are in much need of unity and of brotherhood among us."
He called for improving the living situation of Kurdistan Peshmarga soldiers and also called to unify Peshmarga and security forces within a regular governmental system and that the "political parties should not own Peshmarga of their own."
No political party should have representations abroad, and all relations must pass through the regional government, said Barzani. "This includes the KDP and PUK as well." Furthermore, he required better living conditions for families of martyrs in the region.
On relations with the federal government in Baghdad, President Barzani assured that they are "committed to the Constitution and federalism in Iraq."
About issues of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, Kurdistan Peshmarga, oil policy, and federalism in Iraq, which are considered suspended issues between Erbil and Baghdad, Barzani assured, "Via negotiation these problems must be solved. We are not ready to give up." For the Kurdistan Region oil project, Barzani advised the sixth Cabinet to protect those achievements, to continue the same policy, and not to fall under any affective pressure.