Kurdistan Regional

Kurdistan Regional (738)

President Barzani Starts Official Visit to Europe

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – Kurdistan Region Presidency Chief of Staff, Fuad Hussein, said in a statement that President Masoud Barzani along with a KRG delegation began a visit to a number of European countries on Wednesday.

Fuad Hussein said that the President is scheduled to meet a number of world leaders and officials. He will also attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where is due to meet several leaders and attend a number of sessions on the economic and political developments in Kurdistan, in Iraq, and in the wider region.

Kurdistan Region Presidency Chief of Staff Fuad Hussein, KRG Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami, and KRG Head of Foreign Relations Department Falah Mustafa will accompany the President on this visit.

Japanese Ambassador visits DFR as part of farewell visit to Kurdistan

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq – (DFR.krg.org) – The Ambassador of Japan to Iraq, Masato Takaoka, met today with the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations (DFR), Minister Falah Mustafa as part of his farewell visit to Kurdistan as his tenure in Iraq comes to an end.

The Assistant Head of the DFR, Siham Jabali and Takashi Matsumoto from the Japanese Embassy also attended the meeting.

Minister Mustafa and Ambassador Takaoka spoke about the progress made in bilateral relations since the Ambassador‘s posting to Baghdad. During his tenure, Ambassador Takaoka has supported a number of political, commercial, and humanitarian initiatives in the Kurdistan Region.

Both sides also discussed the Syrian refugee crisis, with Minister Mustafa briefing the Ambassador on the outcomes of the 2nd International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, which took place in Kuwait City yesterday. Minister Mustafa went on to thank Japan for their role and humanitarian contribution in the Kurdistan Region.

Ambassador Takaoka informed Minister Mustafa that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) observation field visit to the Basrma refugee camp was a great success and received a lot of press coverage from a major Japanese news agency.

Ambassador Takaoka thanked Minister Mustafa for his warm hospitality and support during his post as the Japanese Ambassador to Iraq.

Minister Mustafa wished the Ambassador success in his new posting and concluded by saying, ‘I enjoyed working with you and I look forward to working with your successor.’ With its open door policy, the KRG looks forward to further strengthening bilateral relations with Japan as Ambassador Takaoka’s successor begins his new post.

Austria to open a visa center in Erbil

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq – (DFR.krg.org) – The Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, today met with Alfred Bratanek, Deputy Head of Mission in the Austrian Embassy in Amman, Jordan along with a joint delegation from the Austrian and Slovenien Foreign ministries, to discuss the opening of a new visa center in Erbil.

The Assistant Head of the DFR, Siham Jabali, and the KRG Representative to Austria, Dr. Mustafa Ramazan also attended the meeting.

The purpose of Mr. Bratanek’s visit to Kurdistan is the initiation of the first visa center of its kind – the center runs through a private company.

Minister Mustafa was briefed on the mechanism of the visa process and was assured that this step will provide yet another opportunity to further enhance and intensify the existing mutual ties between Austria and Kurdistan.

The Minister assured the visiting delegation that the KRG appreciates the efforts of the Austrian and Slovenian governments and stressed that steps such as the opening of this office would pave the way for increased relations between all sides involved.

Also discussed during the meeting was future cooperation in the fields of tourism, economy, agriculture as well as educational and cultural exchange programs between the countries and the Kurdistan Region. Minister Mustafa said, ‘We are in favor of a long term strategic relationship benefitting both sides.’

The Kurds and the KRG have a long standing relationship with the people and government of Austria. During times of suffering, the Republic of Austria opened its doors to fleeing refugees.

The opening of a visa center is part of a greater Austrian initiative to expand commercial ties between the two governments.

Minister Mustafa concluded the meeting by thanking Mr. Bratanek and his delegation and said, ‘This is good news for the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole and you can count on us as a friend and a partner.’

President Barzani Meets UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today welcomed UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in the capital Erbil.

In their meeting, the President and the UN Secretary General talked about the situation of Syrian refugees in Kurdistan, the conflict in Syria and preparations for the Geneva II conference, and relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

The UN Secretary General praised the security and stability and development that the Kurdistan Region enjoys and added that the Kurdistan Region has come a long way in terms of reconstruction, provision of services and construction.

Mr. Ban Ki Moon also thanked the President and the people and government of Kurdistan for taking in the Syrian refugees and said that the UN plans to increase its humanitarian assistance to the refugees in Kurdistan.

After warmly welcoming the UN Secretary General, President Barzani said the Kurdistan Region opened its doors to Syrian refugees at the beginning of the conflict. He said providing refuge to the Syrian refugees is both a humanitarian and national obligation for our people. Due to large numbers of refugees, the Kurdistan Region is unable to adequately assist the refugees, said the President. He asked the UN and the international community to help the KRG meet its duty to help the refugees.

On the planned Geneva II conference, President Barzani expressed his hope that it leads to a positive outcome, where the refugees could return to their homes and there would be an end to the suffering of the Syrian people.

On relations between Erbil and Baghdad, the President reiterated that Iraq is government by a constitution which defines the both the relationship between the Region and Baghdad, and the rights and responsibilities of each side. “We are committed to this constitution and commitment to this constitution is a prerequisite for Iraq to remain one country. We ask all sides to be committed to this constitution, and it is our policy to use dialogue to resolve our problems based on the constitution,” said the President.

President Barzani reaffirmed KRG’s full support and cooperation with the UN and its agencies based in Kurdistan.

The representative of Kurdistan Region in Iran in an interview with Kurdpress:

Lack of Protection for Collapsing of Assad Regime was the cause of terrorist attack to Erbil

In interview with Mr. Nazem Dabbagh, the Representative of Kurdistan Region in Iran, told to Kurdpress:

Unsatisfying of Kurds for dominated ruling parties functions and opposition activities were the causes of changing in parliament arrangement in current election

Start
Prev
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
Next
End