Iraq and the Kurds: Trouble along the trigger line

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Présentation	Table des Matières	Introduction	Identité	PDF
Iraq and the Kurds: Trouble along the trigger line Crisis Group Compte d'auteur As sectarian fighting has receded since late 2007, a series of events has brought another conflict to the fore – between the Baghdad national government and the Kurdistan regional government in Erbil. It started with difficult (but ultimately successful) negotiations over a controversial clause on Kirkuk in the provincial elections law in July 20081 and was followed the next month by military manoeuvres in Khanaqin,2 a poisonous Prime Minister Maliki-Kurdistan President Barzani dialogue of the deaf over federal powers that began in September, the deployment of the army’s 12th division in Kirkuk at the end of the year, an Arab nationalist list victory in Ninewa governorate in January 2009 and a troubling pattern of altercations in disputed territories throughout, including at oil and gas field facilities. The mix of military moves and anti-Kurdish rhetoric...


Table des Matières
Table of contents Executive summary and recommendations / I I. Introduction / 1 II. The Maliki-Barzani spat over federalism / 1 III. The deepening Kirkuk imbroglio / 4 A. The ill-fated article 23 effort / 4 B. Unami’s report on disputed internal boundaries / 7 IV. Flashpoints along the trigger line / 10 A. The disappearing green line / 10 B. A tense stand-off / 12 C. The need for early warning and communication / 14 V. The combustible oil and gas question / 16 A. Opposing strategies / 16 B. The Kurdish export deal / 17 C. The incendiary presence of oil and gas in disputed territories / 19 1. The Khurmala dome oil field / 20 2. The Khor Mor gas field / 22 VI. New vistas? / 24 VII. Conclusion / 26 Appendices A. Map of Iraq / 29 B. Map of disputed territories claimed by the KRG / 30 C. Map of oil and gas concessions in the Kurdistan region / 31 D. Map of the green line, 1991-2003 / 32 E. About the international crisis group / 33 F. Crisis group reports and briefings on the middle east and north Africa since 2006 / 34 G. Crisis group board of trustees / 36