The Arab Council in Kirkuk said in a statement on Tuesday, March 5, that they were troubled that the two main Kurdish parties had reached an agreement regarding the Kirkuk governorship without consulting the Arab and Turkmen components of the city.

“Kurds deal with the destiny of Kirkuk unilaterally, as a result the [other] components of the city face risks,” the statement read.

“We warn the Kurds that such efforts will kill the principles needed for an agreement sponsored by the Iraqi government and the United Nations.”

The parties called on the Iraqi parliament and government to have an “clear position regarding manipulating the destiny of the city.”

They also called on the parliament and acting governor of Kirkuk to suspend the Kirkuk Provincial Council in accordance with the law, NRT reported.

The parties’ call came after the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) reached an agreement on Kirkuk issues on Monday.

Both parties agreed that the Kirkuk governor would be a PUK official running on a joint Kurdish list and that the Kirkuk Provincial Council would vote on a candidate for the position.

Reporter’s code: 50101