Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani cast his ballot in Iraq’s parliament elections on Saturday, voting early at a polling site in Erbil. The President then delivered a speech after the voting and addressed questions from reporters during a brief press conference. The following is a readout of his remarks:

“Today we chose our candidates for the Iraqi parliament. I hope this election brings prosperity for all of Iraq. I hope that everyone exercises their right to vote and to go to the polling stations across the country as a democratic principle and process. I hope that, God willing, those who reach the Parliament, from all sides and factions, will be able to defend the rights of all Iraqis, and that we will witness from now on improvement and progress in all respects in the Kurdistan Region and in all of Iraq. I hope that the elections will be a success in every respect.”

Answering another question, the President stated: “What we in the Kurdistan Region want and hope for after the elections are over, is that all Kurdistani factions in Baghdad will come together to defend the rights of the Kurdistan Region within the framework of the federal Iraq. We also hope that the Parliament and the next Iraqi government will exert all efforts to resolve the problems of all Iraqis. We have always said that and we emphasize that the people of Iraq deserve a better life than there is now. The people of Iraq need serious efforts that improve their conditions, especially economically, and in terms of providing job opportunities for the youth in the country. We hope that these elections will put a heavy weight on the issue of providing job opportunities for the youth, eliminating corruption, building Iraq’s institutions in an orderly manner, and that the Kurdistan Region will fulfill its obligations within Iraq and within the framework of the constitution, God willing.”

On being the first person to vote among Iraq’s official leaders, the President replied: “I am happy to be the first person to vote. Our message to the people of Iraq is a message of peace, a message of brotherhood, a message that says that we must all make efforts together to improve the situation in Iraq, as we all are together in the same boat.”

Regarding the impact of the election campaigns of the Kurdistan Region parties on their unity in Baghdad, and the efforts of the Kurdistan Region Presidency on this issue, the President said: “The election campaign has undoubtedly ended, and today is the day of voting, and God willing, these elections will be carried out in a calm environment and without problems. The first step is that, after these elections, we will invite the Kurdistani parties and have serious talks about how we can participate in the next Iraqi government. I hope that we will all be together in Baghdad to defend the rights of the Kurdistan Region.”

Answering a question about the efforts to rebuild confidence between citizens and the government after the elections, the President said: “Our goal is to rebuild this confidence, this is true, but when we look at the events in Iraq, we find that the election campaigns were not like the previous ones directed against the Kurdistan Region, and this in itself is a good sign, and I think that, in general, any government, which will take power in Baghdad, should focus on how to be able to provide services to the citizens of Iraq as a whole. I think people are tired of all the empty slogans. People really want to know what is being done, and as I said, the people of Iraq deserve a better life in general. I hope that the next government and parliament will weigh this aspect on how to build this trust with all the people of Iraq; how we can achieve, for the people, what they want. I think this represents the biggest challenge that must be addressed seriously in the next government.”

On the future of relations between Erbil and Baghdad after the elections, the President said: “The Kurdistan Region exists as a constitutional entity within Iraq, and it is willing to solve the remaining problems through dialogue and at the negotiating table with Baghdad. The Kurdistan Region followed this policy before, and it adopts the same policy now. The Kurdistan Region knows that it has rights and duties within the framework of the Iraqi federal government, and in this context, the Kurdistan Region wants to solve the remaining problems and the existing differences. What is important for the Kurdistan Region is that political stability in Iraq is enormously important. We believe that by solving the existing problems between Baghdad and Erbil, we can achieve this goal, and it is a goal that benefits all the Iraqi people.”

Regarding the impact of the elections on the status of the Kurds in the disputed areas and the reopening of the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in those areas, the President said: “This was a correct step because, according to the law, every person and party has the right to campaign for elections. This was an important step in the election campaign, but the issue is not a matter of reopening a party headquarters in Kirkuk or elsewhere. We have an article established in the constitution, which is Article 140, and the Kurdistan Region wants this article to be implemented within the framework of Iraq, and by implementing Article 140 of the constitution, I think that stability will be enhanced in these areas and the people in all of Iraq will be more happy when they see that the problems have been resolved.”

And regarding the importance of the role of the Kurds in Baghdad and the upcoming elections in the Kurdistan Region, the President said: “It is very important for the Kurds to unite and have a strong position in Iraq. The Kurds live in Iraq as a major national component, so the role of the Kurds after 2003 was very important in Baghdad, and we do not want this role to be limited to the Kurdistan Region only. Our representatives will not be there only for us but for all of Iraq. Our serious efforts will be directed at improving the conditions in all of Iraq. With regards to the elections in the Kurdistan Region, yes, they will be held according to the law, and we still have time for that.”