Kurdistan Regional

Kurdistan Regional (733)

New KRG Representative begins her mission in the United States

Washington DC, USA (dfr.gov.krd) - Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman yesterday began her mission as the Representative to the United States of America.

Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, met with Ms Abdul Rahman and the staff of the Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in Washington DC to officially declare her as the new representative and to discuss the team's plan for 2015.

‎The Minister and Ms Abdul Rahman also met Lukman Faily, Iraq's Ambassador in Washington, and held a meeting with the KRG's advisors and consultants.

At the meeting with the Representation staff, Minister ‎Bakir congratulated Ms Abdul Rahman on her new post and reiterated the significance of Kurdistan's relations with the United States. He said, 'This representation is a critical post and our relationship with America is important for many reasons. We will continue to strengthen our long-term, strategic partnership with the United States in all areas and fields.'

‎The Minister thanked the Representation team for its work in maintaining good ties with the US Administration, Congress, the think tank and business communities, as well as the Kurdistani diaspora. He highlighted the role of Qubad Talabani, who was KRG Representative to the United States before taking the post of Deputy Prime Minister.

Ms Abdul Rahman echoed the Minister's sentiments and said, 'It is an honour to be appointed to this post. The job is made easier by knowing there is a good team already in place. I look forward to working together to bring the people of Kurdistan and America closer to each other.'

‎At the Iraqi Embassy, Ambassador Faily welcomed Minister Bakir and Ms Abdul Rahman where he expressed his willingness to work and cooperate with the Representative. The Ambassador, Minister and Representative discussed the cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad on issues such as the peshmerga, the budget and oil exports. They also discussed relations with the United States.

The United States has provided critical military and humanitarian assistance to Iraq and Kurdistan. The peshmerga forces, backed by air strikes by the US and its coalition partners, have retaken much of the territory lost to ISIL terrorists in the summer. The Kurdistan Region received 950,000 displaced Yezidis, Christians and other fellow Iraqis in 2014 alone, in addition to the 1million people who have fled Syria and the violence in other parts of Iraq since 2003.

Minister Bakir and Representative Abdul Rahman will meet US Administration officials, members of Congress and the media this week.

Ms Abdul Rahman assumed the role of Representative to the United States as of January 1, after 10 years as the KRG High Representative to the UK. Previously she had worked as a journalist for 17 years at several British newspapers, including the Financial Times.

Kurdistan Region President’s Message for New Year

In his New Year message, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani expressed his hope that 2015 will be a year of prosperity and happiness for the people of Kurdistan, and the end of terror and fundamentalism.

He pied tribute to the brave peshmerga who sacrificed their lives fighting against the ISIS terrorists.

The President also expressed his hope that in 2015, all IDPs and refugees in Kurdistan will return to their homes.

China’s Vice Foreign Minister opens Consulate General in his first trip to Kurdistan

Erbil, Kurdistan Region – Iraq (dfr.krg.org) – In the presence of Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, China’s Vice Foreign Minister, Zhang Ming, officially opened China’s consulate general in Erbil today.

Prime Minister Barzani in his speech applauded the decision of the government of China to open its consulate general in Erbil. He said, “Opening the consulate general of the People’s Republic of China in the Kurdistan Region is the first step towards building mutually beneficial relations. This will provide a great opportunity for both sides to explore areas of potential cooperation. The opening of this office will help us to benefit from the rich and successful experience of China in all fields.”

Prime Minister Barzani also thanked China for providing humanitarian assistance to the Kurdistan Region and hoped that the opening of this office would result in further humanitarian aid as well as military assistance in the fight against terrorism.

Vice Foreign Minister Ming in his speech thanked the KRG for the assistance provided in the opening of China’s consulate general. He said, “The opening of our consulate general in Erbil expresses our strong support for the political process in Iraq. It is a sign of our strong desire to further deepen and strengthen our bilateral ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in various fields.”

Mr Ming commended the role of the KRG in preserving the stability of the region and voiced the willingness of the Chinese government to contribute to this stability and to provide further humanitarian assistance.

Commenting on the opening ceremony of China’s consulate general in Erbil, Minister Falah Mustafa stated, “This is the beginning of a new chapter in an important, mutually beneficial relationship that will benefit the people and the government of both China and the Kurdistan Region.”

Mr. Banglin, China’s Consul General, said that China is eager to develop its relations with Kurdistan Region and take part in this development, particularly in the infrastructural, economic, commercial and cultural domains.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior KRG officials, China’s ambassador to Iraq, members of the diplomatic community, as well as representative of Chinese companies in the Kurdistan Region.

President Barzani Reiterates Support for Christians in Iraq

In his annual Christmas and New Year message, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani reassured the Christian community in Iraq that the KRG would continue to provide protection and shelter to them and other communities fleeing the barbaric and terrorist group ISIS.

“I would like to emphasize that the Christian community is a key component of this country and I understand their pains and suffering. I reassure them that there is no place for terrorism, violence and barbarity; we have all been witnessing how the brave peshmerga have inflicted heavy defeats on ISIS terrorists and have liberated most areas under their control,” said the President in his message.

The President also urged the Christians to stay in the country. “Christian areas still under ISIS control will also be liberated. We hope that the Christians IDPs will soon return to their homes. I urge Christians against emigration. We must live together and enrich our tradition of peaceful co-existence and tolerance.”

President Barzani Meets US Senator John McCain

President Masoud Barzani today met with US Senator John McCain in Erbil to discuss bilateral relations and the fight against ISIS terrorists.

Senator McCain said the purpose of his visit to Kurdistan is to see firsthand the situation on the ground, particularly with regard to the fighting with ISIS terrorists. He commended the role of President Barzani and the peshmerga forces for inflicting heavy defeats on the ISIS terrorists, adding that the US government and people would continue to back Kurdistan in this fight.

President Barzani thanked the United States government and people for their continued support to Kurdistan. He also thanked the United States for its support of the joint effort by the peshmerga and local fighters in the Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane to defend the city.

Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Abadi Calls President Barzani, Lauds Peshmerga Gains against Terrorists

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi spoke by phone with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on Friday to congratulate the President and the peshmerga forces for their recent gains against the ISIS terrorists, particularly in successfully breaking the siege of Mount Sinjar.

The Iraqi Prime Minster also reiterated Iraqi government’s full support to the efforts of the peshmerga forces in the fight against terrorism and underlined the importance of stronger cooperation between the two sides in this effort.

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