Not only did the Iraqi Kurds issue a stamp that includes a map of an entity from parts cut from Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran, on the occasion of the Pope’s visit early this month, not only angered regional countries such as Iran and Turkey, but also provoked Arabs and Turkmen in the governorates of Nineveh and Kirkuk, and considered it a step to plunge them into unfamiliar conflicts. There are no sentences in it.
This move prompted both Ankara and Tehran to immediately protest, describing it as a violation of international principles and rules, and demanding that it be withdrawn and correct the measure, which it described as "unfriendly," so that the Turkish Foreign Ministry reminded the region's authorities of "disappointment."
In addition to Turkey and Iran, this step also angered other components, especially Arabs and Turkmen, after the stamps included the governorates of Nineveh and Kirkuk, and saw in them that they complement the steps of separation that the region took after 2003, the most recent of which was the referendum on secession from Baghdad that was held in September 2017. 92.7% of the Kurds voted for it.
Gutiar Adel believes that stamp models are just designs submitted by artists and have not been officially approved yet (Al-Jazeera)
Territory position
In response to these protests, the spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, Gutiar Adel, explains that artists submitted samples of proposed stamp designs to be printed on the occasion of the Pope’s visit to Iraq, which usually occurs in many countries when there is an important and prominent event, such as the National Day or Independence, which is a natural step.
However, so far, none of these models have been approved, and the design that will be approved for printing will be in accordance with the constitution and the law.
Adel adds that the regional government and the Ministry of Transport have a series of procedures in addition to the Ministry's law, in accordance with the constitution and laws in force, and take into account the principle of good dialogue and take into account all of this based on its respect for the sovereignty of Iraq, confirming - to Al Jazeera Net - that these stamps have not been certified and they need to be Actual legal procedures followed by the government.
Al-Ta’i expressed his fear of the Kurds ’hidden intention to expand outside the region (Al-Jazeera)
Breakaway steps
There is no explanation for the step to include Nineveh and Kirkuk in the map of Greater Kurdistan except that it is a provocation to the components of the two governorates, and a clear and explicit confirmation of them not to compromise on separatist ideas and plans, as the spokesman for the Arab Council in Kirkuk, Hatem Al-Taie, says, stressing that the Iraqi Ministry of Finance is authorized By issuing stamps and not any other party.
Al-Taie criticized the region’s authorities for taking this step in contravention of the Iraqi constitution, which they voted on with the people, and which defined their governorates to only 3, namely Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Dohuk, explaining that this violation indicates the existence of deliberate intentions and clear objectives for the implementation of expansion projects for the expansion at the expense of lands other than Kurdistan’s lands to be included in The Kurdish region.
Al-Sarraji believes that the Kurdish dream of establishing a state is linked to the game of external balances (Al-Jazeera)
Iraq has a long experience with the region in this regard, specifically the referendum that intersected with the constitution, and the repercussions that occurred after it completely ended the matter, and how the Iraqi forces advanced to Kirkuk and other regions in response to that, but the dream of establishing a state is a natural right for all nations and peoples, but it has an external dimension. In addition to a game of external balances in which Iran and Turkey play a major role - according to the Iraqi political analyst Ahmed Al-Sarraji - reinforcing his opinion with the question: Will Ankara, Tehran and Damascus allow the creation of a new state that cuts off parts of it?
The ambition and dream of establishing the Kurdish state will remain dependent on the game of external interests. If America, Israel and the Western countries are serious in supporting Kurdistan to establish their state, they will support it strongly, but as long as the game of balances and interests remains constant at this joint, the Kurdish forces cannot - according to Sarraji - establish their state, He attributes the reason to America itself, which will stand against it, because the American-Israeli interest is the basis for determining the policies and the nature of the geography in the region.
Al-Sarraji believes that the Kurdish authorities took advantage of the visit of the Pope - who is an influential religious figure in the Christian world and the West - to send a signal, whether intended or unintended, to Turkey and all those opposed to the establishment of the state that the dream exists, but this step intersects with the ambition of Ankara, which represents one of the main roles to prevent This step is in addition to Tehran, because the problem of the Kurds in Turkey is more influential on the political unity of the Turkish state, and this is what prompted it to come out with a quick response to assure that it will cut off the road for anyone who wants to go towards this direction.
Abdullah confirmed that the region has no desire to repeat the referendum experience (Al-Jazeera)
Political rationality
In turn, the Kurdish political analyst Adalat Abdullah believes that the region has no desire to return to the positions and decisions that, no matter how legitimate and expressive of peoples' rights, are harmful to its interests and national security.
Abdullah stresses the need for both Ankara and Tehran to understand that there is no hidden or overt plan to establish a Kurdish state, but this does not mean the end of the Kurdish dream because it is legitimate, but it is always conditional on political rationality that is based on internal and external accounts, regional and international, Therefore, there is no development that worries the Turks and Iranians, and their position regarding stamps may be linked to political propaganda rhetoric for domestic consumer purposes only.
In response to a question by Al-Jazeera Net whether this step is complementary to the steps of the 2017 referendum, Abdullah affirms that it is not known yet whether these stamps were prepared by the official authorities in the region or not, indicating that the issue is very natural and not intended to offend any Country.
IKBY'den Papa için 'Sözde Kürdistan' haritalı pul https://t.co/qbOt9xqWK9 pic.twitter.com/rreR8tJca1
- Cumhuriyet (@cumhuriyetgzt) March 10, 2021
And he continues, "Just as we find that the province of Mosul is still an issue and forms part of the historical memory for the Turks, we notice the same feeling present and present in the Kurdish political imagination regarding the geopolitical geopolitical map of Kurdistan. Other than that, there is nothing else that raises concern because the Kurds, especially after the dire consequences of the referendum. Al-Shaabi regarding the separation of 2017 did not want any other step that would cause them political and economic troubles.
According to the Kurdish political analyst, the option to remain within the Iraqi federal state is the preferred and preferred option in dealing with political ambitions. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the Kurds do not compromise on the realization of the dream of establishing a national entity on their historical land, but it is not by using violence and military confrontation with any neighboring country in Region.
He explains this by saying that "there are two reasons for this, the first is the imbalance of power and the second is the lack of international support for the matter yet, and there is a strong trend in the Iraqi Kurdistan region calling for the Turkish Kurdistan Workers' Party to end the armed struggle against Ankara and adopt the parliamentary democratic struggle."