Archive for month: June, 2016

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Spokesperson stated that his government condemns, in strongest terms, last night’s terrorist attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport that killed dozens of civilians.

In a statement to KRG’s website, Safeen Dizayee expressed his condolences to the government and people of Turkey and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack.

He said that Kurdistan Regional Government and the people of Kurdistan Region are in the forefront in the fight against terror and have suffered greatly from terrorism.

Mr. Dizayee said Istanbul attack is another reminder that terrorism is a global threat and we need to remain steadfast in our efforts to confront the threat of terror in the region and around the world.

Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation (cabinet.gov.krd) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and his delegation met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the SPIEF’16 – St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Welcoming Prime Minister Barzani, Foreign Minister Lavrov highlighted Russia’s good relations with the Kurdistan Region including the active roles of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Erbil and Russian commercial enterprises, particularly in the field of energy.

Talking about Russian support to the Kurdistan Region in its war against ISIS, Mr. Lavrov reaffirmed that his country will continue its support.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked Minister Lavrov for the warm welcome and highlighted the old friendship between the people and governments of the Kurdistan Region and the Russian Federation. He also expressed his gratitude for the Russian military support to the Kurdistan Region in its war against ISIS terrorists.

Prime Minister Barzani also praised the work of Gazprom Naft in the Kurdistan Region, and the role of the Russian Consulate General in Erbil. He expressed his wishes to develop relations in various fields.

They also discussed the situation of the Syrian refugees and Iraqi internally displaced people who fled ISIS and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region.  Mr. Lavrov praised the role of the people and government of the Kurdistan Region for the assistance they have offered to this large number of vulnerable people.

H.E. President Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region

H.E. Ambassador Stuart Jones, US Ambassador to Iraq

Consul General Matthias Mitman, Consul General of the United States in Kurdistan Region

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good evening to you all,
I am pleased and privileged to be part of this important celebration, which is the 240th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.

Please allow me, Mr. President, on behalf of the people and government of Kurdistan to congratulate the people and government of the United States on this significant day in the history of the US.

On this special occasion, we celebrate the birth of America as a free and independent nation.
Independence Day is not only a day that Americans celebrate, but also other people around the world celebrate freedom, liberty and democracy.

The US is a global leader and we are proud of the relationship that has developed between our peoples and governments.

Today, on this important occasion, I would like to reiterate our commitment to a long term strategic partnership with the United States of America.

We, the people of Kurdistan, view the United States as a true friend and ally and we hope to see our ties develop into a strong strategic partnership.

We still remember the days when we were suffering from the oppression by the former regime.

It was 25 years ago, when the United States came in to help by establishing the safe haven and imposing the no-fly zone above the 36th parallel line to ensure our safety.

That marked the foundation of our long-term partnership with the US.

Again in 2003, we entered another stage when we worked together to liberate Iraq from tyranny and dictatorship.

A decade later, after the emergence of Da’esh in 2014, the US once again came in to provide much-needed assistance and support to help Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq to fight this brutal terrorist organization.

Today, the US plays a leading role in the international coalition against Da’esh.

This war has been a tough, and a costly war in terms of human lives, as well as resources but the war is not over yet.

We count on continued support from our friends in the international community in this regard.

We also appreciate the humanitarian assistance provided to the internally displaced people and refugees in Kurdistan Region. But much more is needed to be done.

In addition to the two important areas of the fight against Da’esh and the humanitarian crisis, we expect more engagement from the US in dealing with the economic crisis that we face.

Having said that, we want our relations to expand and broaden with a focus on education, culture, economy, trade, business and all other areas that are pillars of strong bilateral ties.

I thank the US Embassy in Baghdad and the Consulate General in Erbil for the great cooperation.
I would also like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government to thank Ambassador Jones and Consul General Mittman for their service and dedication in Iraq and Kurdistan Region.
Also, the KRG appreciates the educational opportunities, particularly the Fulbright scholarship and other human capacity building programs that are offered to all of Iraq and Kurdistan Region.

The continued high-level visits from US officials to Kurdistan Region are an additional significant sign of the attention that the US places on Kurdistan and vice versa.

We have been working together and we will continue to work together for the sake of stability, security and prosperity in the Region.

I would like to once again emphasize that we share the same universal values and principles.

Because of the strong vision of our leadership, the bravery of our Peshmerga, the resilience of our people, the support of our international Partners and our collective commitment towards a better future, we have been able to survive the worst situations.

Yes, it is a challenging time, but we also see the opportunity for us to implement the reform strategy and agenda.
We are optimistic about a better and more prosperous future for the people of Kurdistan.
The American dream, including its road to independence, is a source of inspiration for the people of Kurdistan and many other people around the world.
We look forward to the day when the people of Kurdistan can also celebrate their independence day.
Thank you again and I wish you all a very happy independence day.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) –Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday received former French prime minister Mr. François Fillon accompanied by a delegation of French lawmakers and diplomats.

Mr. Fillon, who visited camps of refugees and internally displaced persons as well as the battlefront against ISIS, highlighted the important role the Peshmerga forces play in the fight against terrorism.

They also discussed the situation of Christians in Iraq who fled ISIS repression and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his government’s gratitude for the continued French support to the Kurdistan Region. He stated that as the fight against terrorism continues, the displaced people who have fled their homes need more support from the international community.

Discussing relations between Kurdistan Region, Baghdad, and neighboring countries, Prime Minister Barzani said Kurdistan has always sought to be a factor of stability with all its neighbors and to settle outstanding issues with Baghdad through dialogue.

They also discussed political developments in Iraq, the Syrian crisis, and economic and financial difficulties in the Kurdistan Region.