Nazem Dabbagh the representative of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iran supporting idea of holding referendum of independence of Kurdistan Region said this is accordance with the constitution of Iraq.

According to the international reporter of Ana News Agency, Nazem Dabbagh the representative of KRG of Iraq in Tehran said: in the constitution of Iraq the right to determine fortune and holding a referendum for all people is emphasized. Naturally this the absolute right of Kurdistan people to express their opinions for their future.

About the purpose of this holding such referendum in the present complicated situations of Iraq he said: Kurdistan Region wants to determine position through this referendum and know that the news implies independence declare of people is indeed whether people’s opinions themselves or rumors to which the Region are inspired by other sources.

While stating that never do Kurds want to begin to hold a referendum of independence without Central Government’s permission, Dabbagh said: based on this there have been negotiations between Central Government and Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Naturally for this KRG should enter negotiation with government. Already Masoud Barzani the president of KRG relating a referendum of independence said: the Kurdistan Region is looking for being a real partner in Central Government, if not possible so, about being or not in the frame of Iraq we do hold referendum. Barzani alerted: Iraq is about to fall. The outcome of following parliamentary elections may be determinant, if there is respect to the constitution and its performing, Kurds will cooperate to establish Iraq. About these phrases of Barzani Nazem Dabbagh said to Ana reporter: since ISIS attacked Iraq, it has been divided into three sections. One is the areas of Baghdad and south of Iraq under Central Government, another as before is under Kurdistan Region and the other in under ISIS. In fact, we are facing heterogenic condition which more than ever reveals the necessity of being united to fight terrorists like ISIS.

Criticizing the weak army help of Central Government of Iraq to Kurds against ISIS he Said: we want Central Government of Iraq to support Kurdistan Region to fight against ISIS, but we consider them insufficient. Naturally helping the Region should not be limited to military but to political, back-up, diplomatic … fields.

The representative of Kurdsitan Region of Iraq in Iran stated: Iran has always offered its political and military helps to us and has repeatedly appreciated for their positive positions to changes of Kurdistan Region.

Government of Iraq has made his decision to release Ramadi and is determined to do this. However, in past, Iraq Army did  carried out many attacks to release Ramadi and somehow succeeded to take it back, at last ISIS could reoccupied it. But this time accordance with present information filed evidence Iraq Army intends to take it back from ISIS by international and human force and to maintain it, as past experience has raised this concern that has the ability to release Ramadi, but has never been able to keep it for ISIS by suicidal cars and mine-laying would not let Army forces to stay in town and reoccupy it. In general it has to be said that the condition of Iraq army has changed as compared to past. Firstly the whole Army and government of Iraq as well as the force of coalition and of different countries are insisting on releasing Ramadi. Secondly after being repeatedly defeated ISIS does not have past conditions, on the other hand, the conditions are more provided than before for ISIS to be defeated.

Thirdly Iraq Army is equipped with new technologies like bomb- and mine-offsetting. In addition Iraqi forces have been seriously trained to fight against terrorists of ISIS and changed its position as compared to the past and increased its abilities. Meanwhile the presence of Hashad Al-Sha’bi and different forces of people and quite preparedness of Sunni group to fight against ISIS have made it more hopeful to the past.

Nevertheless for past bad experience there is this concern that past accidents may occur again; we should wait and see what conditions may come up in field scene. In past it was also promised that Ramadi was freed but in practice such accident did not occur. Thus, it is the fact that if ISIS is fully defeated in Ramadi and Iraqi forces can maintain it, there will be a hard bite on ISIS, and this operation can leads to ISIS’s complete defeat in Anbar province. Since not only the towns under ISIS will fall but also their inspirations will. Even though in the past ISIS tried to show that it had the ability to attack to some areas again, it does not for being defeated in different parts of Iraq. Thus, this time I desire Iraq Army to keep it under their control after entering and freeing Ramadi.   

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today met with United States Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Salahhadin to discuss the ongoing efforts to defeat ISIS, and security and political developments in Iraq and in Syria.

Mr. Blinken praised the military successes of the peshmerga forces against ISIS terrorists in recent months, especially the recapture of the town of Sinjar last week. He stated that the United States government would continue to support the peshmerga forces. 

President Barzani said that without air support from the US and other coalition partners, the liberation of Sinjar would not have been possible. He reiterated his thanks to the US and other coalition countries. The President added that the liberation of Sinjar demonstrated that with close cooperation and coordination, ISIS can be defeated. 

The President and the US Deputy Secretary of State also underlined the urgent need to help rebuild Sinjar following its liberation.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir today received Baroness Anelay of St Johns, Minister of State at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Baroness Anelay announced, “I came here to launch international protocol on dealing with rape and sexual violence in conflict, our aim is to help KRG in the process of providing guidelines on the investigation of sex crimes and the collection of evidence on the crimes committed against Yezidi women for future prosecutions.”

“I would like to congratulate the Kurdistan Region on the way it has welcomed such a large number of Syrian refugees and Iraqi displaced people. The Kurdistan Region has been a great example to the rest of the world and we are grateful for that,” Baroness Anelay added.

Minister Bakir stressed that international community has a duty to step forward and provide the necessary medical and psychological treatment for the Yezidi women who have been victims of ISIS’s sexual violence.

The KRG Minister encouraged Baroness Anelay to assist KRG to increase awareness about the crimes committed against Yezidi women by the ISIS terrorists through organizing conferences.

Both sides agreed to work together to find ways to bring perpetrators of sexual violence against Yezidi women to justice and to ensure that there will be no impunity for them. They expressed delight at the level of bilateral relations between Kurdistan and the UK and reiterated the commitment of their governments to continue working together.

Ms. Evar Ibrahim, member of the Kurdistan Parliament and chair of the parliamentary committee on women, briefed the delegation on the activities of the parliamentary committee in documenting crimes committed against Yezidi women by the ISIS terrorists as well as supporting the rescued Yezidi women.

The Meeting was also attended by the UK Consul General to Erbil, Angus McKee, KRG Representative to UK, Karwan Jamal, and Assistant Head of DFR, Siham mamand. 

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with the commander of the United States Central Command General Lloyd Austin on Thursday in Erbil.

The President and the US general discussed the military campaign against the ISIS terrorists and preparations for liberating the city of Mosul. They also discussed the requirements and needs for the peshmerga forces. Both hailed the close cooperation between the US military and the peshmerga forces, after the recent successful joint operation to free 69 hostages from the hands of ISIS in the town of Hawija.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today met with a Swedish government delegation that included the Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom and the Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist.

The meeting which took place in Erbil, focused on the efforts to defeat ISIS terrorists and the international coalition support to the peshmerga forces.

Swedish Foreign Minister Wallstrom praised the role of the peshmerga forces and the leadership of President Barzani the fight against ISIS and reiterated his country’s continued support to the Kurdistan Region in this fight. Sweden’s Defense Minister Hultqvist also commended the bravery and the sacrifices of the Peshmerga forces and said his country will continue to assist the peshmerga forces until ISIS is defeated. 

President Barzani thanked Sweden’s contributions and its steadfast support to the peshmerga forces. The President stated that defeating ISIS must be the top priority and confronting it requires the close cooperation of all sides.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani welcomed Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu in Salahaddin today. The President and the Turkish Foreign Minister reviewed bilateral relations, the fight against ISIS terrorists, and political and security developments in the region. Both sides reaffirmed their desire to continue to consolidate their bilateral cooperation. 

Foreign Minister Sinirlioğlu said that Turkey supports stability and security in the Kurdistan Region and is ready to enhance bilateral relations with the KRG. 

President Barzani congratulated the successful general election held in Turkey and expressed his hope that the results of this election would lead to more stability and peace in Turkey. 
The President emphasized that cooperation between the KRG and Turkey as neighbors would help peace, stability, and security in the region.

Service: Policy- Foreign Policy: Nechirvan Barezani the Prime Minister of KRG and Mohammad Javad Zarif the foreign minister of Iran, exchanged ideas about the most recent changes of bilateral relations, Iraq and the Region problems. On the report of Iranian Students News Agency of Iran (ISNA) the prime minister of Iran, mentioning the progressive procedure of economic cooperation between Iran and Iraq and said: the government of Iran will, in order to get aside the barriers, take all necessary measures to improve and deepen the relations. Mentioning authorities’ assessment of commercial and economic sections in government and of private area, he hoped the preparation to progress obtained agreement has been simplified by Iraqi’s authorities.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, besides supporting the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq, stated through the correlation and willpower of statesmen the preparation to release areas occupied by ISIS will be provided for central government. In this meeting Nechirvan Barezani the PM of KRG of Kurdistan of Iraq stated: we are happy, as the result of Foreign Minister’s attempt and fulfilment of Barjam (comprehensive Program) agreement, the grounds to open economic relations between Iran and Iraq will be laid. He expressed his congratulations on these attempts and stated: all Iraqi groups with strong will are going to confront extremist and terrorism in Iraq.