Deputy chairman of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani warned the Iraqi government that it should solve its ethnic problems with the Kurds in dialogue and in peace no later than the end of 2012.

Otherwise, he says, Iraq “will end up like Sudan,” referring to the southern Sudanese, who held a referendum last week to decide whether to secede from Sudan.    

Speaking to Rudaw website Barzani said that Kurds chose federalism as a solution for the self determination problem. He underlined the fact that Kurds in Iraq are rather peaceful and unifying bur he warned that the ethnic issues, including the status of Kirkuk must be solved by the end of 2012.

“Nations can only coexist in peace and with their rights respected, and not in war.  Iraq has spent so much money and paid such a high price because of war. Because of the their [distinct ethnic] identity, Kurds have often been subject to oppression and mass murder throughout Iraq’s history, which I don’t think any Iraqi with a conscience is happy about. Iraq can only progress if it solves its problems. Through war and oppression, it will end up like Sudan” he said.