Thread by @RudawEnglish

Coming Up:
Iraq among neighbors and global powers: Possibilities and constraints

With an added panelist, Mala Bakhtiar member of the PUK’s Higher Political Council

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"There is a war of intentions between all the international and regional factors in Iraq" said Abas Al-Amri, General Secretary of Coordination Framework

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"Building trust is the basis of all relationships, whether internal or international," - Amri said

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"Ensuring the political agreement within the framework of the government and setting up a committee to ensure the implementation of the government's program, in a timely manner, is necessary," Amri added

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“I do not think that there is interference in the Iraqi decision, and specifically of this cabinet, from outside,” Amri said regarding outside interference into Iraq's internal matters

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“This is an important opportunity to achieve what we have not been able to achieve in the 20 years after the fall of the system,” added Amri

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“Iraq has throughout history been struggling with its internal problems” -Mala Bakhtiar speaking about roots of Iraq's historical issues

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“The same way Baghdad cannot avoid the influence of its surrounding, the [Kurdistan] Region cannot either," Added Mala Bakhtiar

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"The country's food security is unstable and its internal problems remain largely unaddressed." Said Mala Baktiar highlighting the issues

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"The Americans thought that they were moving towards a new Middle East, starting from Iraq. This scared the Arab countries," said Fazil Merani, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) politburo chief.
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"Why doesn't Iran strike Israel? The house of Sheikh Baz is not an Israeli base," Merani said, referring to Iran firing a dozen ballistic missiles on Iraqi-Kurdish businessman Baz Karim Barzinji's house last March under the pretext of striking an Israeli base.
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"I'm optimistic about where Iraq is. I'm optimistic because despite its problems and difficulties ... it has managed to take on the onslaught in 2014 of ISIL ... and was able to restart its institutions," former Bulgarian foreign minister Nickolay Mladenov said.
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"The success of the Kurdish Region of Iraq is the success of all Iraq, not just the Kurdish people living here" Said Mladenov highlighting the importance of Kurdistan region

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"You have in Baghdad a prime minister who is a committed Iraqi nationalist, who is committed to using his coalition that supports him to deliver the best to his people," Mladenov said, praising Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.
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"Iraq will be the subject of those problems. If it doesn't bring rival countries together to resolve problems," Mladenov said, referring to Iran-Saudi tensions with Tehran and Riyadh having held multiple rounds of talks in Baghdad.
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"When they are united - they are rich, they are relevant, and their voice is held beyond the region," the former top Bulgarian diplomat said about the Kurds.
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"I'm afraid Iraq got used to too much international attention in the past, and as that attention shifted away, Iraqi leaders need to realize that it is now up to them to find the solutions ... and that realization is slowly setting in," Mladenov said.
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