Iraq’s Kirkuk Provincial Council Calls Plebiscite on Kurdish Governance

 YemenExtra

Y.A

The Kirkuk Provincial Council in northern Iraq determined on  Tuesday to hold a plebiscite on governance by Iraqi Kurdistan despite opposition from Arab and Turkmen members ,according to  Turkey’s Daily Sabah newspaper.

The decision was declared  at a press briefing by Council’s chair Rebwar Talabani, who said the Iraqi government had been tolled  about this move.

Kirkuk is a majority Kurdish-populated region that was given a disputed area position  by Iraq’s constitution planned  with US help after its 2003 invasion. The province was to hold a self-decision  vote by 2007 but a political crisis in Baghdad foil  this move .

Non-Kurdish members of the Council interrupted  Tuesday’s session, the Turkish daily said. Kurds had  26 seats on the Council, whereas Turkmens have nine and Arabs have six.

The decision  comes after the Iraqi parliament barred  Kirkuk authorities last week to rise  the Kurdistan flag beside  the Iraqi flag in official institutions. Baghdad also prohibited  oil exports from the oil-rich province, arguing proceeds from sales of its resources belonged to all people of Iraq.