Control of land, air passages not punishment for Kurds: Iraqi PM

CAIRO – 29 September 2017: “This is not a punishment for citizens in the region, but is a constitutional and legal action approved by the Iraqi Council of Ministers for the benefit of citizens in Kurdistan and other areas,” Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi stressed in a statement on Friday.

Al-Abadi affirmed that the control of the central government on the land and air passages in the Kurdistan region is not to starve and prevent supplies and blockade citizens in the region, as alleged and promoted by some officials of the Kurdistan region, but procedures to return control of entry and exit of goods and individuals to the territory to the federal government in Baghdad and federal regulatory agencies, as is implemented at all Iraqi ports to ensure the prevention of smuggling and corruption.

“The imposition of the federal authority at the airports of the Kurdistan region is the transfer of the authority of airports in Kurdistan to the federal authority according to the Constitution, as is the case in all Iraqi airports in other provinces,” the statement read.

The statement manifested that the domestic flights will continue to operate and as soon as airports in the region are returned to federal authority in Baghdad, as well as the international flights will continue.

“The Iraqi government protects the rights and privileges of all our people, including our Kurdish citizens, and that any actions taken are careful not to harm them,” Abadi added.