Iraq steps back from Khor Abdullah treaty challenge

Arab Times

a day ago

BAGHDAD, July 8: Iraqi President Abdulatif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Soudani decided on Tuesday to withdraw their appeals against a decision revoking Khor Abdullah treaty and submitted the case to parliament. The decision was taken during a meeting that grouped the president, the prime minister, and parliament speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani at Baghdad Palace. An official statement said the three leaders discussed the treaty on regulating navigation at Khor Abdullah, endorsed by the parliament according to Law 42/2013. The supreme federal court had later declared as unconstitutional the treaty legislation according to lawsuit 105 and the affiliate 194 (2023). The leaders agreed that the parliament must resolve the required legislative measure in line with the federal court rule that called for re-legislation of the endorsement law. They decided that the president and prime minister would take back the two petitions that had been addressed to the federal court, affirm Iraq's adherence to the relevant international conventions, UN charters, and UN Security Council resolutions.
The federal court annulled the treaty law on September 4, 2023 deeming it unconstitutional and contradicting provision 61 of the constitution that stipulates that international treaties and agreements are approved by two-thirds of the parliament's members -- This had not been attained with respect to Khor Abdullah law. The court had several times annulled the two leaders' appeals and it was expected to look into them by July 30 -- however, the two have decided to withdraw them. A few days ago, the head of the court Judge Jassem Al-Omairi resigned for health reasons and justice Munther Ibrahim was named as the new chief judge of the tribunal (KUNA)