Barazani, De Mistura discuss UN proposals on disputed areas

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barazani discuss on Friday with Staffan De Mistura, the UN secretary general’s special envoy to Iraq, the international organization’s proposals on disputed areas, according to a statement by Barazani’s office. “De Mistura, accompanied by a delegation of envoys of the United States, Britain and the European Union (EU) represented by the Belgian ambassador, held today (April 17) a meeting with Barazani and a high-level delegation representing the autonomous region,” read the statement as received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “The UN special envoy spoke of proposals to deal with the problems over disputed areas,” the statement added. According to article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, the problem of disputed areas, particularly Kirkuk, are to be dealt with over three stages. The article provides for the normalization of Kirkuk through having back its Kurdish and Turcoman inhabitants and repatriating the Arabs relocated in the city during the former regime’s time to their original provinces in central and southern Iraq. The article also calls for conducting a census to be followed by a referendum to let the inhabitants decide whether they would like Kirkuk to be annexed to the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region or having it as an independent province. AmR (S) 1