U.S. voices concern of Kurdish splits, future of talks with Baghdad

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The United States has voiced concerns about the splits between Iraqi Kurdistan’s political parties, fearing that the situation could harden anticipated talks with the Iraqi government to resolve disputed issues.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Douglas Silliman, said in a press conference in the embassy on Wednesday that the United States is anxious for Kurdistan’s existence within a unified Iraq. Alsumaria News quoted him saying that the embassy was scheduled to meet Iraqi politicians within the coming period to push for dialogue with Kurdistan.

He said the U.S. encourages Baghdad to pay the salaries of Kurdish public servants, and to coordinate with Erbil in security and border issues.

While Silliman said the U.S. is worried by the splits among Kurdish political groups, he welcomed a recent declaration by the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan that they would run the coming Iraqi elections through a unified list.

Asked about the American position on holding the Iraqi elections as salted on May 12th, Silliman said his country believes it is necessary to hold the polls as scheduled based on the constitution.

Relations between the Iraqi government and the autonomous Kurdistan region deteriorated since September after the region held a referendum in which a majority voted for independence from Iraq

Baghdad took over territories disputed with Kurdistan in October, and disagreements heightened over the federal budget, airport and borders control.