Iraqi Kurds could have occupied Kirkuk, but they resented that not to repeat an attitude they had been victims of, Kurdish leader says

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Chairman of north Iraq Kurdistan Region’s Protection Body, Masrour Barzani, has said on Thursday the Kurds had been able to occupy the oil-rich city of Kirkuk , but they resented that, because they refused to repeat an act for which “they themselves had been victims of.”   “The Kurds could have occupied Kirkuk, but they refused such act, because they themselves had been victims of such act, as we did not want to give the impression that such measure would be considered as a revenge by the Kurds, due to what they had suffered for long years,” Masrour Barzani told al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper on Thursday.   He said that the Kurdish Leadership “tried to restore its rights in a peaceful democratic mans and through the Constitution, for which we are still waiting to achieve this peaceful means.”   “On our part, we have expressed enough flexibility towards the Turkomen and the Arabs; and time has come for them to express such flexibility that could achieve an agreement to implement the Constitution’s Article related to the fate of Kirkuk ,” he added.   The Kurdish official said in conclusion that Kurdistn President, Massoud Barzani, has decided recently to supply Kirkuk with 200 megawatts of electric power, thing that we consider as a commitment by the Kurdish Leadership to serve the residents of Kirkuk Province , despite fact that such matter is the responsibility of the Federal government in Baghdad .   SKH (IT)     603