Kurdistan independence related articles & photos

[unitedkurdistan]

I say anyone that have had a huge roll in Kurdistan, importent Kurdish persons for the kurdish cause, kurdish kings etc should be on it. Just imagine Cyaxares on a coin xD Doesn't matter from which part, just that the person have done a impact on our history. Or the kurdishness. Like Saladin.

[Rando]

I say anyone that have had a huge roll in Kurdistan, importent Kurdish persons for the kurdish cause, kurdish kings etc should be on it. Just imagine Cyaxares on a coin xD Doesn't matter from which part, just that the person have done a impact on our history. Or the kurdishness. Like Saladin.

yes, i agree 100% with you.
What "part" the person is from should not matter. after all,even tough kurdistan is divided by borders,the kurds are still united.

[alan131210]

19/02/2012

The meeting of Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan today, April 19, might hold key importance regarding the future of the Kurdish problem as a problem involving not only those two countries, but Iran and Syria as well.

Barzani is on his way back from the United States where he had a series of talks, topped by one with U.S. President Barack Obama, the secretary of state and the defense secretary. In treating Barzani almost like a state president, Obama has demonstrated that he is not going to let the Kurds down, which was a matter of worry for Iraqi Kurds who had been the only local collaborators to the Americans back in 2003 against Saddam Hussein.

Barzani is going to be treated like a state president in Turkey, too. In addition to his meeting with Erdoğan in Istanbul, he has planned to travel to Ankara on April 20 in order to meet with Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

It is difficult to believe that until a few years ago Barzani used to be mocked as a ‘tribe leader’ by many Turkish politicians while his counterparts in Ankara would be upper-middle rank diplomats, military and intelligence officers.

But times have changed now. So it is not difficult to believe that Barzani is becoming an increasingly important player in regional affairs, following the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. There is a possibility that the Kurdish problem could be handled in a totally new fashion soon, as a package instead of in the current country-based manner.

Despite Iraq’s Sunni Vice President Tarıq al-Hashemi, who is not the apple of the eye of Shiite President Nouri al-Maliki, currently on the run -staying now in Turkey- the possibility that the next run of Iran-nuclear talks will be hosted by Baghdad could be an American ice-breaker between the parties in Iraq. Can it be a coincidence that following Barzani’s visit to D.C., Baghdad has eased its veto on the oil contract of Exxon with the Kurds in the north by the Turkish border?

Perhaps that is why Selahattin Demirtaş, co-chairman of the Kurdish-focused Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), claimed in an interview with daily Radikal on Wednesday that Turkey and the U.S. were trying to make Barzani the joint leader of all Kurds; an option he rejected. And perhaps that is the reason why a ranking delegation of the BDP is expected to travel to the U.S. for talks with officials, including those of the State Department, to explain their position.

That could be a difficult mission since the BDP has difficulties distancing themselves from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been carrying out an armed campaign against Turkey for the last three decades and with whom they share common grassroots.

To complete the picture it should be added that the main military camps of the PKK are now located in the Kurdish region of Iraq where they operate hit-and-run types of attacks into Turkey and Iran, and that Iran is involved in an on-and-off fight with the PKK’s local wing, called PJAK. Furthermore, the PKK in Syria has been supporting the Bashar al-Assad regime, despite local Syrian Kurds being against the Damascus regime. Perhaps we are actually running toward a crossroads for a regional solution to the Kurdish problem?

www.kurdish.Sbeiy.com

[KaniRashi]

Well, negotiations with Turkey about independent Sth Kurdistan should include that PKK lay down arms, but instead, PKK should go and focus on Iran, if that are Turkey's demands. These are good news kak Alan, hope we get good news from President Masoud Barzani soon. When will the oil pipeline that goes to Turkey be finished? And what about the one that goes through Iraq and then Turkey?

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-278021-iraqi-kurdish-leader-in-istanbul-for-high-level-talks.html ( This site should NOT be trusted)

[brendar]

Well, negotiations with Turkey about independent Sth Kurdistan should include that PKK lay down arms, but instead, PKK should go and focus on Iran, if that are Turkey's demands. These are good news kak Alan, hope we get good news from President Masoud Barzani soon. When will the oil pipeline that goes to Turkey be finished? And what about the one that goes through Iraq and then Turkey?

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-278021-iraqi-kurdish-leader-in-istanbul-for-high-level-talks.html ( This site should NOT be trusted)

PKK will never put their arms down until KURDISTAN is declared same as the Peshmerge. We Kurds are all same and on the other hand, the negotiations will definitely be about "give & take". This means Kak masoud will ask for kurdish rights and turkey will ask for more work related stuff and mainly "postponing" war between turkey and PKK, especially at this arab spring. Turkey knows that Kurds are a big threat to both their economy and their "European membership demand".

But i doubt anything new.

[kurdistanis1]

I agree, I don;t think they should lay down arms. What should happen is both turkey and the PKK declare a ceasefire and give peace a chance. If akp gives the bdp what they want or atleast most of what they want, then they can start laying down their arms. Untill then, we should keep PKK and they can be the force of the North.

[alan131210]

I agree, I don;t think they should lay down arms. What should happen is both turkey and the PKK declare a ceasefire and give peace a chance. If akp gives the bdp what they want or atleast most of what they want, then they can start laying down their arms. Untill then, we should keep PKK and they can be the force of the North.

i think until US lists PKK as a terror org there is much or 0 gain they will get from west against turkey , today i saw Layla Zana at the EU parliament holding a conference , honestly these kind of activities are 10 times more affective than killing a turkish soldier , not that i am against this as they still kill innocent civilians using PKK as a cover up .

i really do believe time for an armed struggle has expired and PKK should unilaterally call a final ceasefire , NK has to look to EU . participate in more rallies , hunger strikes and conferences to gain more rights for kurds , 20 years ago kurdish cause was not as wide spread as today therefore a civil struggle today is more affective that it was 20 years ago and vice versa.

now turkey uses terror excuse to justify its actions towards kurds , but if we stop the armed struggle then what excuse turkey will be left with ? even USA will be in an awkward embarrassed situation hence it will pressure turkey for more concessions .

[alan131210]

22/04/2012

ANKARA / 22 April (AKnews) - An adviser on the middle east research for Turkish strategic programs announced that Turkey is not overlooking a Kurdish state in KRG.

Catin Ar Catin in a statement to (AKnews), pointed on the recent visit by Kurdistan region president Massoud Barzani and said "the crisis point to the direction that Iraq will see an important change in a close future".

He continued adding "previously Turkey was against Federalism for kurds, but now it will not have much reactions if KRG proclaims independence, Turkey sees the situation in Iraq at its worst and the Shiites are trying to control every corner of the country thus the people of Iraq will be paying the consequences".

"Barzani discussed the current situation in Iraq but in case of non implementation of the previous agreements between the Iraqi factors, Kurds have no choice but to decide their self-determination".

Catin revealed that After Barzanis remarks on independence and the silent response from Turkish officials show that turkey is not overlooking independence of northern Iraq and will not have much reactions if it was proclaimed.

AKnews

[KaniRashi]

And they still call it Northern Iraq-.-

[Kurdistano]

And they still call it Northern Iraq-.-

Let them call it Arabia as far as they dont try to make trouble on Kurdish independence.

[crazyhorse]

Will Barzani declare independence?

By OFRA BENGIO04/22/2012 22:28

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContr ... ?id=267115

Jerusalem Post

Since the 2003 war the Kurds have become the US ally and the most credible partner in post-Saddam Iraq.




Masud Barzani, president of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), is in the habit of dangling from time to time the idea of independence for Kurdistan.

For example in an interview with Judith Miller in 2006 he insisted: “Having an independent state is the natural legitimate right of our people.”

In another interview with the BBC in January 2012 he stated: “I like the Kurdistan Region to evolve day by day. But what I really wish is to see an independent Kurdistan.”

The latest such example was during the celebrations of Nowruz, the Kurdish new year.

In his speech on March 21, 2012, he threatened by implication to declare independence for the Kurdish region if the political deadlock in Iraq continued.

He further insinuated that the oil-rich Kirkuk had to be incorporated into a future independent Kurdistan.

What is one to make of these declarations? Are they merely empty talks as his critics say, or trial balloons intended to prepare the ground for such an eventuality? In approaching the issue of independence Barzani is on a horn of a dilemma. On the one hand it seems that the Kurds are facing the best window of opportunity for such a move.

On the other hand, the formidable obstacles also seem to have gathered momentum.

The positive incentives have to do not only with the Arab Spring and the geopolitical changes that are taking place in the region as a result but also with the international community which appears more forthcoming regarding the modification of old maps and the formation of new states. This trend, which started in the 1990s with the establishment of new states on the debris of the Soviet Union, found its expression lately with the declarations of independence by South Sudan, Palestine and Azawad in Mali.

Barzani has also to reckon with pressure put to bear on him by the Kurdish people with regard to independence.

An informal referendum held in early 2005 showed that 95% of Kurds opted for independence.

However, Barzani’s critics blame him of missing earlier opportunities such as in 2003, of caring only for his post and the accumulation of riches and of lacking the courage to take such a step. Indeed, a possible internal Kurdish crisis is looming in the horizon if such demands are not fulfilled.

The ongoing crisis between the KRG and Baghdad could provide another incentive or excuse for such a move.

Barzani’s accusations that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is leading Iraq to another dictatorship were accompanied by threats that if the political deadlock in Baghdad continued, Barzani would revert to the Kurdish people to ask their views on the next steps, namely declaring independence.

Interestingly, Ankara has kept its silence regarding such reports. Moreover, according to a report in the London-based Al-Hayat report, David Petraeus, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has asked Ankara to support such a Kurdish move. Though this report seems far-fetched its very circulation is interesting.

Against this there are some daunting obstacles including the Kurds’ commitment in the Iraqi constitution to a federal state, the economic and political dependence on Baghdad, and the fear of antagonizing the neighboring states, especially Turkey which has become the KRG’s lifeline to the outside world and its most important economic and trade partner.

Another very important concern is the American stance.

Since the 2003 war the Kurds have become the US ally and the most credible partner in post-Saddam Iraq. But the maximum the American administration can accept at this stage is a viable federation in Iraq in which the Kurds would contribute to the stability of the state rather than open a Pandora’s box of secession.

Barzani’s strategy for solving such dilemmas is what one may call “creeping independence,” which means preparing the infrastructure on all possible levels for such eventuality and waiting for the opportune time for the declaration. This strategy was summed up lately by Barzani’s son Masrur, director of intelligence and security in the KRG, who in a way expressed the feelings of Kurdish youth: “Establishing a Kurdish state is a natural right.

The question is not whether or not we should declare the Kurdish state, it is rather how we can protect it. The first prerequisite is that our nation should be prepared to disregard its party and individual interests and to fight for their nation.

Whenever our people and the international conditions are ready, then it is a proper time to declare it. However, I believe better conditions and a brighter horizon have emerged for this.”

Examining the situation on the ground one can only repeat what every observer who visited the area testified to: Kurdistan has all the trappings of a state. In fact, in certain areas it seems even much more cohesive and developed than the Palestinian Authority or South Sudan.

On the symbolical level the most glaring manifestations are the Kurdish flag, the anthem, the use of the Kurdish language and discussions of the national narrative, especially with regard to the traumas of the chemical weapons and the genocide meted out to them by Saddam. On the practical level one should mention the Kurdish independent institutions such as the presidency, the parliament, the constitution and the army, (the Peshmerga); the flourishing economy; and the diplomatic ventures such as Kurdish representatives in foreign countries who function autonomously of the Iraqi missions.

Another unique situation is that there exist real borders between the Kurdish and Arab parts of the Iraqi state.

An important boost to the position of Kurdistan as an autonomous region was given by Masud Barzani’s weeklong visit to the US and his meeting with President Barack Obama, American officials, the business community and the media.

Indeed, the fact that Obama received him alone and not as part of an Iraqi delegation significantly boosted Barzani’s stature as a Kurdish national leader. It is also a far cry from the American-Kurdish relationship of only a decade ago when such a visit was conducted secretly and the Kurdish case as a whole was quite subdued in the US.

So the question now is not if the Kurds of Iraq declare independence but when. It seems that the timing depends mainly on relations with Baghdad.

If these continue to deteriorate, the Kurds might use this as an excuse to bolster their independent status. Also, further deterioration of relations between Turkey and its neighbors, Iran Syria and Iraq might encourage Ankara to turn a blind eye to such a Kurdish move. Finally, it seems that the younger generation is more likely to take such a bold step. In such scenarios the Kurds of Iraq might make the extra mile within years but not generations.

The writer is a professor at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle East and African Studies. She is the author of the recently published book The Kurds of Iraq: Building a State within a State.

[alan131210]

If these continue to deteriorate, the Kurds might use this as an excuse to bolster their independent status. Also, further deterioration of relations between Turkey and its neighbors, Iran Syria and Iraq might encourage Ankara to turn a blind eye to such a Kurdish move. Finally, it seems that the younger generation is more likely to take such a bold step. In such scenarios the Kurds of Iraq might make the extra mile within years but not generations.

it says it all .

[kurdistanis1]

The Next couple months will be our best chance, I hope kak masoud doesn't let it slip by. We HAVE to take advantage and declare it, we have no more excuses. There has never been an opportunity like the one we have now and frankly I've had enough of our politicians threatening, but never putting anything in action.

[alan131210]

By LARA JAKES, Associated Press – 2 minutes ago

IRBIL, (AP) — Time is running out for the Iraqi government to decide on a power-sharing agreement to end a political crisis roiling the country, the president of Iraq's self-ruled Kurdish region warned Wednesday.

Without an agreement, Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said, Iraq could face a political revolt and even the specter of Kurdish secession that would scuttle hopes for a unified, stable nation just months after the departure of U.S. troops.

Iraqi opposition parties and Kurds in general have run out of patience with feeling sidelined in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shiite-led government, Barzani told The Associated Press in a 45-minute interview in his office outside the Iraqi Kurdish regional capital of Irbil.

"There is a very dangerous political crisis in the country," Barzani said, stopping short of predicting whether al-Maliki would soon be ousted from power.

Barzani called for a September deadline for resolving the political impasse to offer Iraqi Kurds an incentive not to break away from Baghdad. "It has to be before then. At least," Barzani said.

If no solution is found before local elections scheduled for September in Kurdistan, Kurds may be asked to vote on a referendum to decide, as Barzani put it, whether they want to "live under a dictatorial regime" controlled by Baghdad or in an independent state.

Al-Maliki's media adviser Ali al-Moussawi declined to comment when told about Barzani's remarks and a possible independence vote by Kurds.

The three-province Kurdish region in Iraq's north is politically autonomous, although it does receive a share of the nation's $100 billion annual budget. It was created as a haven for the country's ethnic Kurds in the 1970s after years of fighting with the central government. Kurds account for up to 20 percent of Iraq's population; it is unknown how many of them live in the northern region since there has been no census taken for years.

Neighboring Turkey and Iran have been concerned that an independent and prosperous Iraqi Kurdistan might promote separatism among their Kurdish minority populations. Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency reported Wednesday that four troops from Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards were killed in clashes with Kurdish rebels in western Iran the previous day.

Tensions between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdish region long have been strained, and Barzani has threatened previously to break off the region from Iraq.

But relations have sunk to a new low after a series of actions by Baghdad have curbed the regional autonomy that Kurds stridently defend. Most recently, the central government blacklisted ExxonMobil from bidding on new projects as punishment for plans to work in Kurdistan.

Barzani may also be bolder now that the U.S. troops have gone, and since talks last week in Ankara signaled a burgeoning partnership between the Kurdish region and neighboring Turkey.

Barzani said he has been trying to get bickering leaders of Iraq's political blocs back to the negotiating table — an effort that has malingered for months. "For the time being, we are in a consultation process," he said.

"But I would like to stress with you one fact: The current situation, the status quo, does not suffice as an option for us," he said. "This time, the timeline will not be open-ended as it has been in the past."

Barzani also said he "wholeheartedly" supports Sunni desires to create their own self-rule regions in Iraq — an action that the Shiite government has sought to avoid, and that Washington fears would eliminate years of U.S. efforts toward building long-term stability.

During the early years of the Iraq war, the U.S. worked hard to ensure that the Kurds remained part of the Iraqi state, encouraging all parties to give the Kurds a major role in the government. Kurdish approval of the Iraqi constitution in 2005 was hailed as a major victory for U.S. policy.

Barzani did not directly blame al-Maliki for the impasse but said it's clear that the Shiite prime minister and his State of Law political alliance has been "ruling the country by themselves."

If that continues, Barzani said, "it will not be accepted."

State of Law official Ali al-Alak said the prime minister's alliance remains open to negotiations but that Kurdish secession should not be an option.

"The problems can't be resolved by issuing threats, but through dialogue," said al-Alak, a member of parliament. "If one party tries to impose solutions on others, then this a dictatorship scenario. We are with unity of Iraq and we strongly reject dividing Iraq and its people."

Others feel it is al-Maliki who is dividing the Iraqi people.

After State of Law fell short of winning the most seats in 2010 parliamentary elections, al-Maliki kept his job only after corralling enough support from Kurdish lawmakers and the hardline followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Barzani's comments make clear that the Kurds no long want al-Maliki to stay in power. And Sadrist lawmakers are increasingly irritated with the government's long-standing dismissal of their concerns.

"The current political situation in Iraq is like a time bomb that could explode at any moment," said Sadrist lawmaker Bahaa al-Araji.

He said the political strain between al-Maliki and the Kurds could be the first domino to fall in a broken Iraq: "Baghdad has the same problems with other provinces," al-Araji said. "This will lead to dividing Iraq, and there will be no Iraq on the world map."

Associated Press Writers Yahya Barzanji in Irbil, and Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad contributed to this report.

The Associated Press

[alan131210]

FINALLY INDEPENDENCE DATE IS CLOSE AND APPOINTED