VP/HR — Situation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

13.12.2017

Question for written answer P-007663-17
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 130
Charles Tannock (ECR) , José Inácio Faria (PPE) , Alyn Smith (Verts/ALE) , Ana Gomes (S&D) , Costas Mavrides (S&D)

A statement released by the EEAS on 26 September 2017 regarding the referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) confirmed the EU’s full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

The KRG has subsequently decided to freeze the result of the referendum and has made appeals to Baghdad for dialogue as to its future relationship with the capital. The region’s President Masoud Barzani has also taken the decision to stand down and the Parliament of the Kurdistan Region has since voted to distribute those presidential powers to other institutions of the KRG.

The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court’s ruling of 6 November 2017 declared that Article 1 of the Iraqi Constitution does not allow for any region or province to secede from Iraq. This decision was accepted by the KRG in a statement of 14 November 2017, which in turn was welcomed by the EEAS in a subsequent statement of 15 November 2017.

In light of these developments, will the VP/HR welcome these steps, and call on the Iraqi Government to engage in constructive dialogue with the KRG in order to find a peaceful solution to the current political tensions?