‘I will declare independent Kurdistan if Al-Maliki returns to power,’ warns Barzani

The president of Iraqi Kurdistan has warned that he will announce an independent state if Nouri Al-Maliki, Iraq’s former prime minister and the current vice president of the republic, returns for another term as prime minister. Massoud Barzani made his comments to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

“I will declare the independence of Kurdistan the moment that Al-Maliki is prime minister,” he said, “and come what may… I cannot accept an Iraq ruled by Al-Maliki.”

Barzani revealed that he had confronted Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and told him that Iraqis “have failed to build a real partnership” with each other, and it is better to be “good neighbours.”