Archive for month: June, 2015

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the Head of United States Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Tim Kaine, and his accompanying delegation, including members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Senator Kaine said that the aim of his visit is to closely observe the situation in the Kurdistan Region. He thanked the people, government and Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan Region who do not only confront the Islamic State Terrorist organisation, ISIS, but also accommodated and continue providing assistance to over 1.7 million refugees and internally displaced people, IDPs.

The US Senate delegation members expressed its concern over the ISIS recent advances, and the lack of a plan to eradicate the terrorist organisation, stressing that in their meetings with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, they will urge him to further involve members of the Sunni community in the fight against terrorism.

The delegation expressed its support for the Kurdistan Region’s concerns regarding Baghdad’s attitudes, reiterating that the Iraqi federal government should pay the Region’s liabilities, based on the laws and agreements reached between the two sides.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked the US Senate delegation for its visit and the assistance of the people and government of United States to Kurdistan Region, particularly military and humanitarian assistance, which have played a significant role in repulsing ISIS. He hoped that the assistance to the Region will continue.

Prime Minister Barzani urged the delegation to play a role in settling the differences between Erbil and Baghdad that would lead Baghdad to abide by the December agreement on oil export and budgetary issues, and fulfils its commitments.

He also urged the delegation to encourage the international community to fund the United Nations agencies operating in the Kurdistan Region in order to be able to continue delivering their assistance, as the Region continues receiving new waves of IDPs.

Exchanging views regarding the relations between United States and Kurdistan Region, and the challenges that the Region faces, were also discussed in the meeting.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the Defence Senior Advisor Middle East in the UK Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant General Tom Beckett, and his accompanying delegation.

General Beckett discussed the latest security developments in the region in general and in the Kurdistan Region in particular. He also discussed continuing and increasing trainings for Peshmerga forces by the UK military.

He commended the Peshmerga forces who courageously confront the Islamic State terrorist organization, ISIS. He lauded the protection they provide to all people in the Kurdistan Region regardless of their ethnic and religious backgrounds.

He informed the Prime Minister that the Peshmerga forces are successful in the training programmes and they satisfactorily fulfilled their tasks.

General Beckett also discussed the situation in the areas under the control of ISIS.  He stressed the need for cooperation and coordination among all forces, including Iraqi and Kurdistan forces, in order to defeat the terrorists.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked the UK government for supporting and assisting the Kurdistan Region since the terrorist threat emerged. He expressed his wish that training programmes for the Peshmerga forces continue and increase.

He hoped that the ongoing satisfactory coordination and cooperation between coalition forces and the Kurdistan Region would continue and expand, which are vital to eliminate terrorist threats.

Vienna, Austria (dfr.gov.krd) – The KRG Department of Foreign Relations hosted a two-day conference in Vienna for the Kurdistan Region missions abroad. The conference was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and Head of Foreign Relations Falah Mustafa.

Minister Mustafa welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Talabani and KRG Representatives to the conference aimed at exchanging ideas and discussing future plans on how to best serve and promote the interest of the Kurdistan Region.

Deputy Prime Minister Talabani touched upon the crucial role played by the DFR as well as the KRG Representations abroad in building cultural, political, economical and educational bridges with the international community and promoting the interest of the Kurdistan Region abroad.

Mr. Talabani also briefed the KRG Representatives on the steps taken by the KRG in dealing with the military, humanitarian as well as financial challenges facing the Kurdistan Region.

During the conference, the representatives presented their activities over the past few years and discussed their future plans. The representatives also emphasized that it was important to overcome the challenges facing the KRG Representations abroad in order to further strengthen ties between the Kurdistan Region and the international community. They reiterated their commitment to serve the interests of the Kurdistan Region in the international arena to the best of their ability.

Deputy Prime Minister Talabani and Minister Mustafa expressed their full support for the KRG missions abroad and stated that the KRG and the DFR, in particular, will make necessary efforts to overcome the challenges facing the KRG missions and to bring about better coordination between the representations and the relevant KRG ministries.

The KRG Representatives who attended the conference included Dilshad Barzani, Representative to Germany; Karwan Jamal Tahir, Representative to UK, Bayan Sami Rahman, Representative to USA; Nazim Omer, Representative to Iran; Dara Bakir Salih, Representative to France; Haval Syan, representative to Australia; Rezan Hama Salih, Representative to Italy; Daban Shadala, Representative to Spain; Mustafa Ismail Ramazan Goran, Representative to Austria; Fauzi Kaddur, Representative to Switzerland; Aso Jangi Burhan, Representative to Russia; Ziyad Raoof, Representative to Poland; Delavar Ajgeiy, Representative to EU; and Shorsh Kadir Rahem, Representative to Sweden.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the Kuwait Consul-General to the Kurdistan Region, Dr. Omar Ahmad Al-Kandari.

Prime Minister Barzani welcomed the Kuwait Consul-General to his new position. They discussed the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region, particularly the war against terrorism and the economic and social impact of hosting nearly two million refugees and internally displaced persons, IDPs.

Investment opportunities were also discussed and the Consul-General affirmed the desire of his country’s companies, investors, and relevant institutions to develop economic and commercial ties with the Region. He described the opening of the Kuwait Consulate General as an important step in that regard.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his happiness at the establishment of relations between the Kurdistan Region and Kuwait, offering the support of relevant KRG organisations to Kuwaiti companies that wish to invest in the Region, particularly in priority fields such as agriculture and tourism.

With Kuwaiti media representatives present in the meeting, Prime Minister Barzani explained the political, economic, security, and military situation in the Region. Regarding relations with Baghdad, he said that at this moment the KRG intends to resolve its differences with Baghdad.  He said that Iraq is important for Kurdistan Region from geographical, political, social, commercial, and economic points of view. He said, however, that if the current breach of agreements by Baghdad continues, then the Region would have to turn towards other options.