Archive for month: September, 2016

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani received Ambassador Ekkehard Brose, German Special Envoy for Crisis Prevention and Stabilization, and his accompanying delegation.

Ambassador Brose discussed the humanitarian assistance programme which the German government intends to offer directly to areas liberated from ISIS, including those to be liberated in the future.

The programme aims at encouraging and assisting the displaced population to return home.

Kurdistan Region is accommodating and assisting close to 1.8 million displaced people, who fled ISIS terrorists.

The two sides discussed the anticipated liberation of the city of Mosul. Ambassador Brose also offered humanitarian assistance for civilians expected to flee to Kurdistan from Mosul during its liberation.

Ambassador Brose noted Germany’s cooperation and coordination with the Iraqi Federal Government and that his government seeks similar cooperation and coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed Kurdistan Region’s gratitude for German support and welcomed its plan to offer direct humanitarian assistance.

He expressed his government’s readiness to provide assistance to German-supported humanitarian efforts, particularly in severely damaged areas, liberated from ISIS that are now under Peshmerga security control.

Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, received German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen and her accompanying diplomatic and military delegation.

Minister von der Leyen expressed her satisfaction with the understanding recently reached between Erbil and Baghdad, particularly regarding the anticipated military operation to liberate the City of Mosul and other areas from ISIS. She reaffirmed the support of the Coalition forces to this understanding, hoping that both the Iraqi Federal and Kurdistan Regional governments would develop cooperation in many other areas.

Regarding bilateral relations, she stressed that her country will continue its support to the Kurdistan Region, particularly providing humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons and refugees who fled ISIS terrorists and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

It is expected that additional close to half a million people take refuge in Kurdistan with the start of Mosul military operations.

Minister von der Leyen said that Germany and the international community will exert great efforts to provide further humanitarian aid to the displaced persons.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his government’s gratitude for the German military support to the Peshmerga Forces for the past two years. He described Germany as an important part of the international coalition in the war against ISIS, commending Minister von der Leyen’s role in Germany’s effective support to the Kurdistan Region.

Regarding the relations between Erbil and Baghdad, Prime Minister Barzani noted that some steps were taken towards developing a political, economic and military cooperation, which in the past weeks led to a good understanding between the two sides.

On the expected liberation of Mosul, Prime Minister Barzani said that, with the support of the coalition forces, a good joint military plan has been set, while stressing the need to plan post-liberation Mosul.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, received the new Indian Consul General to Erbil, Mr. Deepak Miglani and his accompanying delegation.

Consul General Miglani said he was pleased to have the opportunity to work in the Kurdistan Region, expressing his government’s solidarity with the Kurdistan Region in the fight against Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS.

He expressed his country’s desire to develop solid relations with the Kurdistan Region in various areas.

Prime Minister Barzani congratulated Consul General Miglani on his new post, assuring him of his government’s full support during his mission in the Kurdistan Region.

He hoped that the Indian Consulate General will play an active role in developing solid relations between India and the Kurdistan Region in all fields, particularly in the field of encouraging Indian investment in Kurdistan.

The two sides also discussed the latest regional developments and the war against ISIS terrorists.

Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, on the occasion of the appointment of Nadia Murad, the young Yezidi woman who has survived  ISIS slavery, as a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador . Below is the text of the message:
Dear Secretary General,

I write to thank you and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for appointing Ms Nadia Murad Basee Taha UN Goodwill Ambassador and for the kind invitation to attend her appointment ceremony on September 16th.

Regrettably, due to the pressing security and economic situation we face in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, I am unable to participate in this ceremony but my government will be represented at the event by other KRG officials.

I would like to express our pride in Ms Nadia Murad, in her courage, her dignity and inspiring ability to speak up for all the victims of genocide committed by ISIS, especially the women and girls enslaved by the terrorist group.

As you know, the Yezidis, along with Christians, Shabaks, Kakaiis, Sabean-Mandeans, as well as other Kurds and Arabs, have been targeted by ISIS whose methods of beheading, rape, sexual enslavement and mass murder, have been rightly labelled genocide. The Yezidis in particular have suffered unspeakable crimes and injustices at the hands of ISIS and deserve the attention and support of the entire world. Currently, about 420,000 Yezidis are displaced and living in the Kurdistan Region with inadequate shelter, healthcare and education services as our own resources at the Kurdistan Regional Government remain stretched due to the large influx of displaced people while we fight a costly war against ISIS. We believe that about 3,200 Yezidis remain in ISIS captivity and that women and girls are traded in slave markets and trafficked across borders. All of humanity must come together to rescue those still enslaved and bring an end to human trafficking.

We appreciate the symbolism of appointing Ms Nadia Murad as Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking and are confident that this young Yezidi woman, who has suffered more than one can imagine and has wisdom beyond her years, will carry out the tasks you are assigning her with courage and leadership.
Sincerely,
Nechirvan Barzani

Paris, France, (Krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani was received by the President of France, Francois Hollande in Paris today. During the meeting President Barzani and President Hollande discussed the latest advances against the terrorists of the Islamic State. President Barzani noted that the support of France shall be remembered by the Kurdistan Region and for that support he expressed, on behalf of the people of the Kurdistan Region his deep sense of appreciation.

President Barzani and President Hollande also spoke of the political developments in the region especially vis-a-vis the impact of such events on the Kurdistan Region.

The two sides spoke in detail about the Mosul operation and it was then that Presient Barzani reiterated his stance to President Hollande that all the concerned parties from within Iraq and the allies should pay very careful attention to the day after liberation, as that process will of immense difficulty.