Situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region

That this House endorses the statement of 24 November to the Security Council by Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq; agrees that Iraq faces several interlinked and mutually reinforcing crises and that the devastating economic impact of covid will probably outlast the pandemic; shares her view that a constructive relationship between federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region underpins the stability of Iraq; deeply regrets the continuing impasse on federal budget payments to Kurdistan for civil servants’ pay who, in her view, should be shielded from political disputes rather than collectively victimized; agrees that constructive negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil are hampered by 15 years of unclear constitutional guidance, which cannot be ignored as it will block lasting solutions; agrees that the recent agreement between Baghdad and Erbil on the governance of the disputed territory of Sinjar is the first step towards stable security structures followed by a unified administration there; believes that such agreements can then be rolled out to other disputed territories, especially Kirkuk, and as part of greater co-ordination between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Army to tackle Daesh extremists who operate in the no man’s land between the two forces; and urges the Government to encourage negotiated solutions on all outstanding issues based on the provisions of the federal constitution of Iraq and the rights of the Kurdistani people.