PM Barzani accuses Baghdad of violating Kurdistan's rights in a meeting with Canadian lawmakers

Shafaq News/ The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masrour Barzani, on Saturday voiced deep concerns over what he described as "unlawful" infringements on the rights of the region's people.

The prime minister, according to a press release by his bureau, shed light on the perceived violations of agreements between the member parties of the State Administration Coalition and the cabinet ratified by the majority of the Iraqi parliament.

This comes as the premier hosts a meeting with a delegation from the Canadian parliament headed by Lawmaker Tom Kmeic, according to the press release.

At the beginning of the meeting, Kmeic provided an overview of the efforts of the Canadian Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Kurds. This body, comprised of members from many Canadian political parties, focuses primarily on supporting the Kurdish cause and fortifying relations with the KRG.

The delegation extolled the Kurdistan region for its embracement of religious freedom, peaceful coexistence, and press liberty, emphasizing the resonance of these principles with Canadian values.

In response, Prime Minister Barzani expressed gratitude to Canada, particularly for its steadfast support during the fight against ISIS militants.

The prime minister shed light on the recent developments pertaining to ties with the Iraqi federal government. He asserted that the KRG had honored all its constitutional obligations and expressed dismay over the unauthorized encroachments on Kurdish people's rights, flagrantly violating the constitution. Barzani said that these breaches stood in stark contrast to the mutual accords between the parties that formed the government and the cabinet approved by the Iraqi Parliament.

Barzani assured that the people of Kurdistan would neither surrender their legitimate and constitutional rights nor yield to pressures or threats from factions wishing to revert Iraq to an era of dictatorship, repression, and persecution of the Kurds.