By NNN-WAM,
Abu Dhabi : A major UAE English daily Friday commented on the ongoing political conflict in Iraq on the status of Kirkuk, which has pinned down the Kurds, on the one hand, against the Arabs and Turkmen, on the other.
Commenting on the issue editorially Friday, the Dubai-based “Gulf News” said: “The Iraqi parliament voting on the provincial council election law has highlighted the ongoing political conflict taking place between the Kurds on the one hand, and the Arabs and Turkmen on the other.
“The law, which was rejected by President Jalal Talabani, allows an equal distribution of seats in the governorate of Kirkuk; it comes as a blow to Kurds who wish to exclude Arab citizens from the process of voting in the elections. This casts a doubt on the possibility of postponing local elections, scheduled for October 1 this year. As US officials have pointed out, albeit conveniently, the vote is key for the stabilisation of Iraq.
“By all accounts, Kirkuk, the oil-rich province of northern Iraq, is considered a sensitive place. This is because of the various ethnicities it houses as well as of course, the oil question. In fact, the area can accurately capture the overall image of Iraq and looking into resolving its question is just as important as getting rid off the armed fighting currently taking place in other parts of Iraq.
“Whether or not the contested area will be governed directly through the semi-autonomous Kurdish region or by Baghdad is a hot topic. One way for the Nouri Al Maliki government to resolve the ongoing political conflict over Kirkuk is to put forward a referendum which aims to finalise once and for all its status. Letting the Iraqi people themselves decide will settle this question in the most fair way and will certainly save the city from the current divisions. It would also maintain the momentum of the political process which Iraq has been experiencing, by keeping things transparent.
“As many have dubbed it, Kirkuk is a ticking time bomb, and the sooner the government can put a cap on the political divisions, the better for all the people involved.”