ERBIL, Iraq, June 12 (UPI) -- Kurdish officials expressed dismay over a U.N. report suggesting various scenarios for the Iraqi government to address internal border disputes.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq released a report June 5 on four districts in Iraq to serve as benchmarks for the Iraqi government to reach broader national reconciliation measures as part of the Iraqi Constitution. Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution seeks to reverse ethnic policies implemented by Saddam Hussein.
Kurdish President Massoud Barzani issued a statement this week that said the U.N. report was not a "suitable essence for solving the problems, adding the report runs "contrary to the constitutional demands of applying Article 140," The Kurdish Globe reported Thursday.
The U.N. report says the Kurdistan Regional Government can administer the cities of Akre and Makhmour in Ninewa province while Baghdad would control Hamdaniya, also in Ninewa, and Mandali in Diyala province.
Kurdish leaders sent a letter to U.N. envoy to Iraq Staffan de Mistura, expressing their displeasure with the report.
Kurdish lawmaker Arez Abdullah added the report did "not respect the will of Kurds concerning disputed areas."
