“Every piece of Iraq’s territories must be under control by its Central Government,” Prime Ministers

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has said on Wednesday that “every piece of Iraq’s territories must be under control by the Central Govenment, warning against the announcement of federations and regions, because the current time is not suitable for such decisions.” “Iraq’s unity is a red line, we won’t bargain upon,” Maliki said in a speech during reception of leaders of intellectuals of southern Iraq’s Karbala city, screened by Iraq’s semi-official al-Iraqiya TV Satellite Station, adding that “every part of Iraq’s territories must be under control by the Central Government.” Maliki said that “some shortages in some Iraqi provinces here and there can be settled by common action and not through secession or division,” adding that “the national interest shall remain to serve the citizens and not the policians,” who he described some of them as “failing to serve the interest of Iraq and its unity, but their own interests.” “We are heading towards increasing the authorities of Iraq‘s different Provinces,” he said, warning that “calls for federations and regions, despite their constitutionalism, but time is not suitable to raise such demands.” Prime Minister Maliki has expressed surprise from “raising such constitutional rights by some parties and their criticizm of the government, including the illegallity of (Iraq‘s former ruling) Baath Party and opposing its practice, charging that “there are plans to make those regions as safe places for escaped wanted elements of Baath Party, aimed at undermining the stability of Iraq.” The past few days have witnessed calls for the establishment of “independent regions” in iraq, following the voting of 20 out the 28 members of Iraq‘s Salahal-Din’s Province’s Council to become an independent “Region,” within United Iraq, announced by the Deputy Chairman of the Province’s Council, Sabhan Mulla Chiad, who charged the decision was taken due to the “irresponsible” policy of the Central Government against Salahal-Din’s inhabitants.