Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesman Omed Sabah stated that in his visit to Kirkuk yesterday, Mr. Noori Maliki indicated his true intentions toward article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.

“He failed to even make any mention of article 140 and in order to appease some chauvinists, he attempted to determine the identity of Kirkuk,” read a statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesman.

“If Mr. Maliki wants to resolve the status of the disputed areas, he needs to implement article 140 and allow the people of Kirkuk to determine their fate,” continued the statement. “The identity of Kikruk cannot be determined thought deployment of military forces from Baghdad. Kirkuk is an Iraqi city with a Kurdistani identity.”