On the occasion of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani sent his best wishes to the people of Kurdistan and hailed the sacrifices and bravery of the peshmerga forces in defending Kurdistan against ISIS. 

In his message the President voiced his deep concern about the escalation of violence in Turkey, and expressed his hope for a speedy end to this violence and the prevention of further escalation to communal strife. 

On Syria, the President expressed his support for the proposed federal solution for the future of the country and added that all sides must come to agreement for this to succeed. 

In his message the President also talked about the question of Kurdistan Region Presidency, and repeated his call on the political parties to end this political impasse. He stated that the best way forward is to reactivate the parliament, elect a new presidency for the parliament, and form a new cabinet for the KRG. 

The President reassured the people of Kurdistan that the economic crisis will not last and thanked the people for their patience and resilience during this crisis. He said that the reform package that has been announced will soon deliver positive results, and will help ease the economic crisis. 

On relations with Baghdad, the President said, “we have two options before us: either we forget the struggles and sacrifices of our people in the last hundred years, or the current situation and the mature of our relationship with Baghdad must change. We will not accept to be subordinates to Baghdad, and Baghdad does not accept our partnership. Independence for Kurdistan is a peaceful call and is not a threat to anyone. We want to reach an amicable agreement with Baghdad on this question through mutual understanding. Before holding the referendum, the Kurdistan Region will engage in a serious and frank dialogue with Baghdad on our disputes and relationship.”