February 21, 2008 | By Ahmad Al-Khaled, Staff writer

KUWAIT: Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani yesterday addressed the question of Kurdish independence saying, "As long as Iraq is abiding by the current constitution, we are bound by a united Iraq." "We are a major and important part of the government of Iraq and we are not in opposition. It is natural to have differences of opinion but on the core national and strategic issues, we are part of the state and have an understanding with the federal government," said Barzani of the sometimes a
t odds Kurdistan capital of Erbil and the federal capital Baghdad.

"We will send a delegation to Baghdad to resolve the technical problems which have marred the relationship of late. We hope to reach a solution," he said at Kuwait's Bayan Palace yesterday.

The problems are not grave. If they cannot be resolved, we have to search for other solutions. But all of them will be in the interests of Iraq," he added.

Kurdistan, which is situated on about one-fifth of Iraq's oil reserves, has become known as Iraq's boom town with its thriving oil sector, experiencing little of the violence and problems of the violence plagued in Baghdad. The Kurdish government has major problems with the Baghdad located federal government over its independent oil development. Barzani answered long held allegations by the Iraqi oil minister that all oil contracts are illegal unless they go through the federal government. "We have not tak
en any steps that contradict the Iraqi constitution. We are ready to review any step which is contrary to the constitution," he added.

The region has continued to award oil exploration and development contracts to foreign oil companies despite the federal oil ministers long held objections. Barzani commented, "Regrettably, the position of the oil minister is a political position and not a legislative one. So we do not recognize the decisions or orders which he is making that are not in line with the constitution and the laws of the state." He furthered, "We urge the oil minister to correct his position because according to the constitutio
n, oil and gas is owned by all Iraqis and the revenues should be divided between all the Iraqi people justly.

Everyone agrees on that principle." In the end he said, "We hope to gain a mutual understanding. We have a constitution, and it will be the judge.

Barzani blamed the state's long overdue hydrocarbon law on Baghdad saying, "The stalling of the hydrocarbon law is not from our side but from the federal government. Let this law go to the Parliament in order to implement it, and end the problem.

KT asked Barzani who was responsible for the problems in Iraq's trouble ridden Kirkuk, to which he responded by saying, "Regrettably, those inside Iraq stirring the problems are implementing someone else's foreign agenda." He went on to laud Kuwait for its avoidance of involvement with Iraq's internal matters saying, "We have not seen any Kuwaiti interference in the internal matters of Iraq." Furthering, "There are a lot of regional countries that are interfering and are stirring problems in Iraq.

Kirkuk has been the subject of much attention over its ethnic identity and accusations of forced immigration of Arab families. Barzani clarified the status of Kirkuk saying, "Kirkuk is an Iraqi city with a Kurdish identity and must go back to the region of Kurdistan in accordance with the constitution." Barzani challenged allegations of forced removals of Arab families from Kirkuk saying, "There is no forced exodus of Arab families. This is nothing more than false accusations." He said the assertions were,
manufactured to stir things up, and who is stirring these problems, I cannot say but they are very obvious.

Barzani explained that Arab families were moved to Kirkuk under the regime of Saddam Hussein and these families should have the choice to stay or to leave and be compensated. "The Kurdish families should also have the choice to come to Kirkuk and be compensated for their losses. This is not mandatory, only by choice, who comes back or stays," said Barzani. "After this process is complete, there should be a census and then a vote and the people of the area will decide where they want to be," he said referr
ing to whether Kirkuk would ultimately be a part of Kurdistan or another region.

Kurdistan and Turkey have been at odds over militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a Northern Territory Iraq based group, which has been engaged in military actions against Turkey inside the Turkish border. Turkey has left open its option for military action inside Iraq against the PKK and has massed tens of thousands of troops on the border.

Of the region, Barzani stated, "It is a rugged mountainous region, 500 kilometers long and from 40 to 100 kilometers deep. There is no power or army in the world that can control this region. We respect the Turkish sovereignty and security and we have no problem with Turkey, but sometimes Turkey wants to export its internal crisis to others," said Barzani who added, "We wish that the tension will not escalate more than what has already happened. We will work with all our effort to overcome the problems. Yo
u cannot solve this problem with military action, only peacefully.

Barzani and his Kurdish brethren were severely oppressed and victims to gassings of entire villages, mass forced immigrations and other horrors under Saddam Hussein. "I believe that our brothers in Kuwait feel the suffering of the Kurdish people just like the Kurds feel the suffering of the Kuwaiti people. We both have suffered from an oppressive regime," he added.

President Barzani left Kuwait yesterday after a two-day visit in which he met with HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. He noted of the exchange, "I suggested to the Crown Prince that we have a joint international conference to search for missing Kuwaitis and Kurds.