Erbil - The Presidency of the Kurdistan Region has ordered the council of ministers to implement the latest demands of the opposition parties without further delay.
President Massoud Barzani's office has ordered the immediate restoration of the monthly budgets of the three opposition parties - the Goran (Change) Movement, the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) and the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) - stopped in April following the Sulaimaniya protests when the opposition backed the protestors call for the government to step down.
The president's office also ordered the formation of a committee to pursue the 'Illegal procedures' taken against the opposition party members and their supporters.
The three opposition factions walked away from reconciliatory negotiations with the ruling parties recently, complaining that their members and supporters continue to be harassed and arbitrarily detained; and that government officials are sheltering the security agents responsible for the deaths of ten protestors during the Sulaimaniya demonstrations.
The Presidency's statement rules that nobody can be arrested without a warrant and a charge being brought against them and that detainees must have access to a lawyer.
The statement also warns anyone who is harboring a wanted criminal of the legal repercussions.
The opposition groups have so far responded favorably to the Presidential statements, saying the moves mark an important step in the removal of obstacles between them and the ruling blocs.
Mohammed Faraj from the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU)'s politburo told AKnews the presidential orders were issued after the opposition parties sent a letter to Mr. Barzani demanding his intervention in getting the negotiations between the opposition and the major parties back on track.
Faraj said that a date for the resumption of negotiations will be issued next week.
He added that as of today the KIU, the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) and the Goran (Change) Movement will receive their monthly budgets, suspended since April.
Abdul-Sattar Majid from the KIG politburo was also optimistic about President Barzani's move.
"We consider these decisions positive steps for clearing the obstacles on the path of resuming the five-sided negotiations," he said.
The Goran Movement's Yusif Mohammed however remained reluctant to praise the president's statements until they have been carefully studied. The opposition, he said, would make their position clear after conferral.
© AK News 2011
