Hawrami: “New phase in Iraq as Kurds define relationship with Baghdad”

Hemin Hawrami received the new British Consul-General to Kurdistan, Angus McKee, for talks on the latest situation in Iraq and the viewpoint of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Speaking of the crisis in Iraq, Mr Hawrami said the KDP would not accept another nomination by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, for a third term in office, and his candidacy will revert Iraq to autocracy. He also discussed the oil and gas disputes between Erbil and Baghdad in addition to ‘Article 140’ of the Constitution that it is now at a new stage after events in previous weeks.

Mr McKee highlighted the importance of bilateral relations between Kurdistan and the United Kingdom, lauding the Kurdish leadership, President Massoud Barzani’s parliamentary keynote speech, and positions of the Peshmerga forces when confronting terrorism.

Both sides shared their understanding of the new Iraqi government formation on the genuine basis of partnership and recent developments.