Iraqi President to Visit Kirkuk

Kurdistan 07:24 PM - 2024-08-24

Iraqi President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid walking down from a plane.

The Iraqi President, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, intends to visit Kirkuk province in the near future. He had previously refused to visit the area because of the former governor's involvement in illegal and corrupt activities, as well as his forced appointment to the position, according to a presidential source.

Ezadin Majid Mohammed, Deputy Head of the Iraqi Presidency, told PUKMEDIA: "The Iraqi President, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid, has abstained from visiting Kirkuk province for the previous two years due to his refusal to meet with the imposed governor, Rakan Al-Jabouri, because Al-Jabouri has been involved in corruption cases and has committed multiple violations against the city's communities."

He added, "The Iraqi president is scheduled to visit Kirkuk province in the near future to express his support for the new governor and council. He has prioritised problem solving, promoting coexistence, and fostering peace in the city, and will assist the local government." 

The President emphasises the implementation of Article

The Iraqi president has expressed his support for the parliament and parties to implement Article 140, and has sent a letter to the chairman of the Supreme Committee on Article.

"The president considers all Iraqi provinces important, but he places a higher value on Kirkuk, which can be viewed as a miniature of Iraq. In this regard, he will make efforts to address the province's issues in accordance with the constitution and to implement Article 140, which he strongly supports," Mohammed stated.

He added, "The president endorses the nullification of the Sawra Court's decisions and the enforcement of Article 140. To achieve this, he recently wrote a letter to Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Supreme Committee on Article 140, emphasising the importance of implementing Article 140 to restore the rights of the affected individuals and enhance the relationship between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government in the disputed territories. Additionally, he conveyed his endorsement of the parliament and the political parties in carrying out the implementation of Article 140."

President Rashid was elected as the new Iraqi president by the Iraqi parliament on October 13, 2022. He has not visited Kirkuk since then.

Note: Kirkuk is part of the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad. The unimplemented Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution was largely drafted to address the issue of the disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad. In the provinces of Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Saladin, the former Iraqi Ba'ath regime made great efforts to Arabise the population, which was the cause of these disputes.



PUKMEDIA