Review of the Constitution of the Republic of Kurdistan · Peer-reviewed essay
Sovereignty-first foreign policy
The supreme national interest and international law in Clauses 72–76
Foreign policy should translate Kurdistan’s constitutional identity into consistent external action. This article defines a sovereignty-first doctrine, treaty approval, professional diplomacy and the relationship between international law and independent national judgment.
Doctrinal analysis of the constitutional text, read together with institutional design, comparative public law and implementation risks. The article distinguishes binding text, interpretive principle and policy recommendation.
The sovereignty-first doctrine
Every external commitment should strengthen the security, freedom and lawful capacity of the Republic. Alignment is evaluated by constitutional interests rather than inherited dependency or ideological fashion.
The supreme national interest
Security, territorial integrity, economic resilience, recognition, diaspora protection and strategic partnerships form a public framework for choice. Stating those interests allows democratic scrutiny of trade-offs.
Treaties and approval
Negotiation belongs to the executive, but obligations with major legal, fiscal, territorial or security effects require legislative approval and publication. Secret annexes cannot alter rights or constitutional competences.
International law and professional diplomacy
International law supports stable relations and Kurdish claims, yet interpretation must preserve lawful freedom of decision. A merit-based diplomatic service supplies memory, language capacity and disciplined execution.
Conclusion
Sovereignty-first policy is neither isolation nor impulsiveness; it is principled engagement governed by Kurdistan’s Constitution and national interest.
References
- دەستووری کۆماری کوردستان، بەندەکانی ٧٢ تا ٧٦، وەشانی ٢٧٢٦ی کوردی.
- United Nations, Charter of the United Nations, 1945.
- United Nations, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969.
- Malcolm N. Shaw, International Law, 9th ed., Cambridge University Press, 2021.