Kurdistan Regional

Kurdistan Regional (738)

A statement from the Kurdistan parliament presidency: Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Returned Kurdistan after a Visit to Holland

Kurdistan parliament speaker, Dr. Yusif Muhammad Sadiq, and the delegation accompanied with him, came back to Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan region, after a one-week visit to Holland. The main goal of the visit was to meet Holland’s politicians and to supply humanitarian, political, and military aids for the Kurdistan region.

For this purpose, the Kurdish delegation of the Kurdistan parliament met with the foreign minister of Holland and put shed on the recent events in Kurdistan such as attacks of IS militants and fleeing of hundreds of thousands of Yezidis, Christian, and Arab refugees to Kurdistan following IS’s brutal assaults. Consequently, the Holland parliament and government decided to take part in the international campaign against terrorism and IS. In addition, Holland showed its interest to provide humanitarian and military assistance for the Kurdistan region.

Prepared by the representative of the Kurdistan regional government in Holland, another part of the delegation’s activity was a speech concerning the current situation of Kurdistan, given by the speaker of the Kurdistan parliament in a seminar. A number of the representatives of the Kurdistan political parties and Holland civil society organizations attended the seminar.

Regarding the case of introducing IS militants’ cruel attacks on ethnic minority groups such as Yezidis, Christians, and Turkmen as genocide, the Kurdistan parliament delegation visited the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Lahai and took some strong steps for it.

Minister Mustafa receives a delegation from the Belgium Parliament

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (DFR.KRG.org)–The Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, yesterday received Mr Georges Dallemagne, Member of the Belgian Parliament, and representatives of Chaldean and Syriac communities in Belgium.

Mr Dallemagne said that the purpose of the visit was to acquire up-to-date information regarding the needed humanitarian and security assistance for the Kurdistan Region in order to provide information and recommendation for the people and government of Belgium on how to best support the Kurdistan Region.

MrDallemagne said, “The Kurdistan Region has done an impressive job in sheltering IDPs and refugees and protecting and defending the civilians and ethnic and religious minority groups against the barbaric acts of Islamic State terrorists.”

“The government of Belgium has agreed to provide military assistance for Kurdistan and I will urge the government to translate its statement into concrete actions in the fastest possible manner,” he added.

Minister Mustafa thanked Mr Dallemagne for his expression of solidarity with the Kurdistan Region and briefed him on the humanitarian and security developments on the ground.

The representatives of the Chaldean and Syriac communities in Belgium praised the role of the Kurdistan Region in sheltering and defending members of religious minorities and noted the culture of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in the Kurdistan Region.

The Minister said, “We are proud to have developed a culture of democracy, peaceful coexistence, and religious tolerance here in Kurdistan. These values are deeply rooted in our culture and we are determined to preserve and defend such values.”

Bothe sides also touched upon the possibility of establishing channels of cooperation and communication between the Parliament of Belgium and the Parliament of Kurdistan.

Prime Minister Barzani meets UN humanitarian chief

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) - Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani today met with Ms Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination, to discuss the needs of refugees and internally displaced people seeking refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

The Under-Secretary-General and her accompanying delegation presented a summary of views and feedback regarding the humanitarian situation and the most important issues following their visit to camps for Iraq’s internally displaced people and Syrian refugees. Ms Amos conveyed the commendation of the United Nations and the international community for the efforts of the KRG in accommodating the displaced and providing for their needs despite limited capacity and the massive influx of people.

The delegation discussed a number of issues in the camps, including educational and health needs and fears that the number of displaced people and refugees could increase. Under-Secretary-General Amos reiterated her call for more assistance to be provided to the KRG from the international community, donor countries, and Iraq’s Federal Government to better meet the needs of the displaced.

Prime Minister Barzani noted that the KRG had opened its doors to displaced families and refugees from the beginning of this crisis, despite limited capacity, and have thus far managed to provide for their basic needs with help from the international community. The Prime Minister explained that the current situation and the needs of the displaced are well beyond his government’s capacity, particularly because the Region faces an economic crisis. This crisis has been caused by the Iraqi Government’s decision to withhold the KRG’s share of the federal budget for many months. The Prime Minister called upon the United Nations, the international community, and the Iraqi Government to fulfill their humanitarian responsibilities in assisting displaced families.

The Kurdistan Regional Government requests humanitarian assistance from the international community

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – The Kurdistan Regional Government urges the participants of tomorrow’s international conference held in Paris, which focuses on Iraq’s security, the incidents in Sinjar, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, to seriously address the situation of the displaced and assist in providing aid to the great number of internally displaced Iraqis, in addition to discussing political and military matters.

The KRG calls upon Arab states to fulfill their humanitarian duties in aiding the displaced, the majority of whom are Yezidi Kurds, Christians, and Sunni Arabs from the Ninevah plains.

The KRG calls upon the international community to come forward and help the KRG in providing necessary aid to the displaced people that fled the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) terrorist attacks on Sinjar and the Ninevah plains and are taking refuge in the Kurdistan Region in general and Duhok province in particular. This is especially important because the winter season will soon begin.

The KRG plea for action comes from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, composed of ministers and other officials, after discussion regarding the humanitarian situation of the displaced people from Sinjar and the Ninevah plains in order to follow-up their needs and resolve related issues. Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani chaired the meeting.

A field report regarding the humanitarian situation of the displaced was presented during the meeting. It focused on educational issues and the schools in the Duhok province currently sheltering the displaced families. In the meeting, it was decided to begin building camps in order to vacate the schools so that the academic year could begin. It was also decided that the Duhok Governor's office and related provincial institutions should be supported to enable them to overcome shortcomings. A similar meeting will soon take place in Duhok to carefully analyse the situation with related officials and institutions and to consider their views.

In the meeting it was also decided that relevant KRG institutions should fully coordinate and follow-up with international organisations. In addition, a KRG delegation will visit Baghdad and meet with federal authorities about the situation of displaced people, because the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding is beyond the capacity of the Kurdistan Region. The Iraqi Government should therefore fulfill its legal and constitutional duty.

Finally the KRG extended its commendation and gratitude to the people of Kurdistan, and especially the people of the Duhok governorate, for all the aid and support they have been providing to the displaced from the earliest days of the crisis.

Prime Minister Barzani visits front lines

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani today visited Peshmerga forces on the front lines at Khazer and Zertek with Dr Rosch Shaways, Commander of the Khazer front.

The Prime Minister listened to detailed accounts of developments on the ground and the situation in the area in general. He took stock of the needs of the Peshmerga forces on the front lines.

In a speech to Peshmerga forces, he hailed the role of the Peshmerga in protecting the people of Kurdistan for many years, sacrificing their blood and lives to attain freedom and victory for their land and country. He stated that today, the Peshmerga forces are once again courageously defending the land and the freedom of the people of Kurdistan in the entire region and on all fronts.

Prime Minister Barzani added that Peshmerga forces symbolise resilience and resistance to invasion and persecution – a symbol of pride for the people of Kurdistan who have always valued the efforts of their Peshmerga forces. Today, Peshmerga forces are recording legendary and historic triumphs and moments of great pride from Sinjar to Gwer and Makhmour, in Jalawla and Saadiyah and Hamaran, he said. They are writing a chapter in the history of the people of Kurdistan, something of which current and future generations will be proud.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the Peshmerga forces’ resilience and willingness to volunteer for service on the front lines have been essential in removing terrorists from Kurdistan. He reiterated that the Peshmerga forces’ drive to advance forward and repel the terrorists has inspired confidence and resilience in the people of Kurdistan, adding that reports around the world now highlight the sacred name of the Peshmerga as courageous, a symbol of freedom, and the protectors of Kurdistan’s diverse communities. The forces are internationally recognised as protecting the values of human rights and dignity, a source of pride for every individual in Kurdistan.

Prime Minister Barzani concluded by wishing everlasting success to every member of the Peshmerga forces, the officers, and the commanders.

Statement by Deputy Prime Minister Talabani marking the anniversary of the September 11th attacks

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Today marks the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. These attacks targeted innocent civilians and shocked the world, and the world responded with widespread condemnation and action. The United States reacted by showing its might and the resolve of its proud nation.

The US-led international war against Al-Qaeda targeted terrorists wherever they were, ultimately resulting in the capture and death of many of the organisation’s leaders, including Osama Bin Laden.

Today, a group with the same ideology that spawned Al-Qaeda, employing extreme and barbaric tactics, is targeting the people of Syria, Iraq and the entire region, as well as attempting to disrupt the peace and stability of Kurdistan. Whereas Al-Qaeda hid in caves and was based underground, members of the so-called Islamic State, which is neither Islamic nor a State, walk freely in cities inside Iraq and Syria, causing mayhem, terrorising people and threatening civilians and states alike.

On this occasion, I would like to praise President Barack Obama for the powerful speech he delivered yesterday in which he explicitly stated that with the help of its allies, the United States will destroy this terrorist group. The Kurdistan Region attaches great importance to its friendship and partnership with the United States. After the September 11th attacks and throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom, the people and the government of the Kurdistan Region have stood firmly and proudly with our American allies. We extend the same hand of friendship today in this new campaign to eradicate a serious threat to regional and international security.

We have made clear our intention to work with the United States to bring about a democratic and federal Iraq as outlined by the Iraqi Constitution. At the same time, we reaffirm our commitment to the United States to combat the scourge of terrorism. Today we are proud to be fighting terrorism on the front lines, on behalf of the world, and we stand ready to continue this fight for the sake of peace and stability.

We once again express our condolences to the families of those killed in the heinous acts of September 11th, and to those who have lost their lives fighting for freedom and democracy – Iraqi, Kurdish, American, British, or of any other nationality. We pay tribute to those who have sacrificed their sons and daughters so that others may enjoy better, safer lives.

We reassure the American people that just as the United States has stood with us during our most difficult times, we will stand with you in the global fight against the culture of barbarism, ignorance, and intolerance that defines terrorism.

Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani
Kurdistan Regional Government
11 September 2014

Start
Prev
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
Next
End