Iraqi MP says time not ‘suitable’ to announce Basra as federal region

An Iraqi lawmaker said on Saturday that the time is not “suitable” to declare the southern province of Basra as a federal region, days after the launch of campaign from governorate officials to give the region greater autonomy from Baghdad.

Tawfeeq al-Kaabi urged the central government in Baghdad to give more attention to the oil-rich province, saying Basra should be announced as the conflict-stricken country’s “economic capital” in an interview with local channel al-Sumaria News.

Kaabi also described the country’s economy as dependent on Basra’s oil.

He added: “The current time is not suitable to announce a federal region in Basra since we are in a fierce battle against the gang militia of the Islamic State,” referring to the militants who control much of northwestern Iraq.

His statement comes after ex-MP judge and former Basra governor Wael Abdulatif announced on Thursday a campaign to promote Basra as a federal region.

Kurdistan so far is the only federal, semi-autonomous region in Iraq. However, there were previous failed attempts to make the Sunni province of Anbar a federal region.

Opponents of federalization mull such moves as the first steps towards dividing Iraq into smaller states.