ERBIL — An Arab member of the Iraqi parliament has revealed that during last week’s meeting with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), he proposed that the position of Kirkuk governor should be held by an Arab for the first two years. However, President Barzani responded, “This is impossible to accept.”

Muhaiman Hamdani, a member of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, shared new details on Tuesday about the meeting with Barzani in Salahaddin. Hamdani was part of a high-level delegation of Sunni Arab lawmakers who met with the Kurdish leader.

“We went to President Barzani to discuss the formation of the Kirkuk local government. He spoke more clearly than some Arab representatives,” Hamdani stated regarding the meeting.

“He told us, Kirkuk should be a symbol of peaceful coexistence,” Hamdani added.

“I said: Mr. President Massoud Barzani, you are known for your wisdom in resolving many national issues, especially concerning Kirkuk. I speak frankly; I agree that the governor should be an Arab, and that the first two years of the governor’s post in Kirkuk should be ours.”

“President Barzani told us that they do not have two seats; in fact, it’s seven, and we are speaking to you as Kurdish representatives. It is impossible to accept an Arab governor for the first two years,” the Iraqi MP noted.

“President Barzani told us that the Kurdish position was not something he could compromise on,” he confirmed.

On August 12, Mahmoud Mohammed, spokesperson of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), issued a statement on the formation of the Kirkuk local government. He said that during the last meeting on August 4, 2024, with President Barzani, it was emphasized that solutions should respect the rights of all communities in Kirkuk and be within the framework of national consensus. All parties agreed that previous experiences should not be repeated, and there should be a solution acceptable to all winning parties.

On August 10, a unilateral meeting in Baghdad was held, attended by members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and several Arab members of the council. This meeting resulted in the election of Rebwar Taha, a Kurd from the PUK, as the new Kirkuk governor and Mohammed Hafez as the speaker of the Kirkuk Provincial Council.

This development has sparked controversy, with Arabs and Turkmen in Kirkuk rejecting the new leadership formation, further deepening political tensions in the province.