Originally published November 16, 2009 at 3:32 AM | Page modified November 17, 2009 at 7:16 AM

Iraq's Kurds threaten to boycott elections

Iraq's Kurds are threatening to boycott national elections slated for January unless the allocation of seats in parliament is revised in what they describe as a "fair manner."

The Associated Press

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq —

Iraq's Kurds are threatening to boycott national elections slated for January unless the allocation of seats in parliament is revised in what they describe as a "fair manner."

The office of Kurdistan autonomous regional President Massoud Barzani said in a statement Tuesday the distribution of seats is unfair to Kurds.

Barzani's office said the people of Kurdistan "would be forced to boycott" the elections if changes were not made.

The warning comes after Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president threatened to veto a key election law needed for the January vote.

Both demands throw the election into question, and could undermine Iraq's fledgling democracy and derail a post-election U.S. troop drawdown.

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