Maliki needs no permission to visit Kirkuk, says Sayhoud

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) MP, Mohamed Sadoun al-Sayhoud, of the State of Law Coalition confirmed that “The Premier, Nouri al-Maliki does not needs a permission from any side to visit the Iraqi provinces including Kirkuk.”

A statement by Sayhoud’s office received by Iraqi News (IraqiNews.com) cited “Kirkuk, which is a sample of the peaceful coexistence, with all its Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Muslims and Christians, is an Iraqi province,” noting that “Kirkuk’s identity is determined by a national will rather than foreign interferences.”

“Maliki does not need any permission to visit Kirkuk to solve its problems,” he added, stressing that “Those who object this visit reveal their real intentions and their policy of expansion in Iraq.”

Earlier, a number of Kurdish MPs described Maliki’s visit to Kirkuk and holding the meeting of the Council of Ministers in the province as “Provocative,” while the Kurdish Ministers within the government boycotted the meeting.