ASSESSMENTS

Iraqi Kurdistan Extends an Olive Branch

Nov 15, 2017 | 09:00 GMT

KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani has sought to distance himself from the steadfast refusal of his uncle, former President Massoud Barzani, to nullify the will of the Kurdish people.

(SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

Iraqi Kurdistan's recent concession to the central government in Baghdad could pave the way for peace talks.
But ahead of next year's elections, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will try to boost his political standing by maintaining his aggressive approach toward the Kurdish region.
In the face of Baghdad's hard-line policy, Arbil will reach out to longtime patrons like the United States and Turkey to mediate the dispute.

The governments of Iraq and its autonomous Kurdish region may be one step closer to settling their heated feud. On Nov. 14, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) issued a formal response to a Nov. 5 decision by the Federal Supreme Court that the Iraqi Constitution does not permit any region to secede. Officials in Arbil said they "respect the interpretation" of the court and called for the ruling to serve as a starting point for negotiations to resolve the region's outstanding constitutional disputes with the central government in Baghdad. But although the concession could pave the way for peace talks, it is unclear just how willing Iraqi leaders are to lift the pressure they have put on the Kurdish administration since its controversial independence referendum in late September....

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