US Senate passes legislation backing federal system for Iraq

Senate calls the Kurdistan Region “peaceful and stable” and urges Iraq’s neighbours to support the wishes of the Iraqi people

Washington DC, USA (KRG.org) - The US Senate today continued to show its strong support for a peaceful and prosperous Kurdistan Region by overwhelmingly supporting a bipartisan amendment that calls for the United States to “actively support a political settlement in Iraq based on the final provisions of the constitution of Iraq that create a federal system of government and allow for the creation of federal regions.”

The measure, approved on a 75 to 23 vote, strengthens the overall US strategy for Iraq. While continuing to support a federal, unified Iraq, the Senate measure bolsters the US-Iraqi “bottom-up strategy” of devolving political and economic powers to Iraq’s regions and provinces.

The amendment, part of the Defence Authorization Act, also highlights the success of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), recognised by the constitution of Iraq as the administration of the Kurdistan Region, as a peaceful, stable and vital example of the path that all of Iraq should follow.

Qubad Talabany, the KRG’s US Representative in Washington, said, “We are very pleased that our friends in the Senate recognise and support our long efforts to help democracy, tolerance and freedom take root in Iraq.” He added, “The KRG applauds the US Senate on passing this significant legislation. By building on the example of the Kurdistan Region, together we can pave the way for a peaceful and prosperous future for all of Iraq.”

Introduced by two US presidential candidates, senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), the amendment was sponsored by 15 other senators, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). The plan supports the federal political solution in Iraq that many independent diplomats, academics and observers say is the best strategy to bring calm and progress to region, while soothing anxious political concerns.

Also in the amendment, the Senate calls on those nations with troops in Iraq, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iraq’s neighbours, as well as others in the international community, to strongly support an Iraqi settlement based on federalism and to respect the wishes of the Iraqi people and their elected officials.

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