Blocked path for Article 140 sparks ongoing regional disputes: MP
Shafaq News/ The implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution faces significant challenges, as executing it has caused problems in several provinces due to administrative changes made by the previous regime.
Jawad Al-Yasari, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Regions and Provinces committee, stated to Shafaq News that the former Baathist regime's modifications included removing districts and sub-districts from some provinces and annexing them to others, creating complications in various regions.
Al-Yasari pointed out that “Article 140 is not limited to Kirkuk and the disputed areas between some provinces and the Kurdistan Region; it also includes other provinces such as Karbala, where several districts and sub-districts were removed and annexed to al-Anbar.”
“The path of Article 140 is blocked, and there is no solution for it at present,” indicating that “officially reopening its file could create an insurmountable crisis.”
Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution aims to address the issue of disputed territories between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region, such as Kirkuk. The article outlines three stages: normalization, conducting a census, and finally holding a referendum to determine the status of these areas, with a deadline for completion by the end of 2007. However, the article has not been fully implemented to date, making it a continuous point of contention.
Despite more than a decade passing since the deadline, issues related to Article 140 persist, facing political and legal challenges between Baghdad and Erbil, particularly concerning the management of disputed areas.
