Somayyeh Khomarbaghi, the reporter of Mehr News Agency, in talk with Nazem Dabbagh the representative of Kurdistan Regional Government in Iran relating to the elections of the presidency of Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the discussion of federalism in Iraq asked some questions of which the most important responses of Mr. Dabbagh followed:

In a response to the first question real to the presidency of Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Mr. Dabbagh said: as of a yet it has not arrived at a conclusion, and it is obvious that it is a complicate concern. This requires an agreement, and now that the war ISIS and economic crisis and lack of political stability in Iraq affect the problems to be treated, it seems to be difficult. Concerning with the relations between Democrat party of Kurdistan and Iran, the representative of Kurdistan Region in Iran said: in general the relations between Iran and Democrat Party of Iraqi Kurdistan is completely normal and ongoing and if opinions exchange needed, this will happen through special communication channels. He continued: if according the constitution of Iraq they do not recognize other rights officially, Iraq absolutely will be led to an unobvious future and rapture. In these current conditions it is felt that there are some who are trying to interrupt the lines of nation and political forces. He mentioned the role of federalism to keep Iraq united and believed: federalism is the cause of Iraq unity.

Brussels, Belgium (KRP.org) - Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today addressed a special meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Union’s Parliament in Brussels.

In an event attended by a large number of MEPs, in his address the President talked about the latest political and security developments in Iraq, in Kurdistan and in the wider region.

He called on the EU parliament to show solidarity with the people of Kurdistan and called on them to help seek recognition of the crimes against the Kurdistan people in Iraq as crimes of genocide. He said, “We would like you to show solidarity with the rights of the people of Kurdistan. We also call on you to expend all your efforts to recognize the genocide against our people.”

The President attributed the relative stability and security in Kurdistan, to the policy of tolerance and peaceful co-existence between the various religious and ethnic communities in Kurdistan.

“In the aftermath of the 1991 March uprising in Iraqi Kurdistan, we did not set out seek revenge against the people who oppressed us. Again, after the fall of the regime in 2003, we did not take resort to revenge against anyone. We opened a new chapter with our own people and with others, and this greatly helped us focus our efforts on rebuilding our country and lessen the pains and suffering of our people. As a result of this policy, the Kurdistan Region enjoys a high degree of security and stability,” said the President.

Following the President’s address, a number of MEPs posed questions to the President, and they all hailed the important progress that Kurdistan has made in the areas of security, stability, and economic development. They particularly commended President Barzani’s leadership and the KRG for their generous policy of hosting large numbers of refugees and the religious tolerance that prevails in Kurdistan.

Full text of the address delivered by the President:

First, I would like to thank the EU Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee for inviting us here today. There is no doubt that the EU has an extremely important role to play and there is considerable potential for cooperation in many areas between the EU and Federal Iraqi Government as well as the KRG, particularly in economic and trade interest. As you are aware there is an agreement between the EU and the Iraqi Federal government, We hope the KRG will have a role to play within the framework of this agreement, to bring closer together the EU and our country, and the EU parliament and the Kurdistan Region.

I would like to here today to just briefly you of the tragic situation of the people of Kurdistan. They have suffered because of a number of hostile campaigns aimed at them in Iraq. We have been victims of chemical weapons and the infamous Anfal campaign in which 182,000 people disappeared, of which we have only been able to recover the remains of about 4,000 of them from mass graves across the southern Iraqi deserts. The search continues for the remaining victims. In the chemical attack on Halabja, in the space of just a few minutes, 5,000 innocent civilians, mostly women and children, were gassed to death.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We in the Kurdistan Region have adopted the policy of tolerance and peaceful co-existence and the accepting of each other. In the aftermath of the 1991 March uprising in Iraqi Kurdistan, we did not set out seek revenge against the people who oppressed us. Again, after the fall of the regime in 2003, we did not take resort to revenge against anyone. We opened a new chapter with our own people and with others, and this greatly helped us focus our efforts on rebuilding our country and lessen the pains and suffering of our people. As a result of this policy, the Kurdistan Region enjoys a high degree of security and stability. This has also helped many international companies from different countries to come to invest in Kurdistan. As a simple example, before 2003, per capita income in Kurdistan was less than 500 US dollars; now it is more than 5000 US dollars. We are at the beginning of the road in building democratic institutions, and we need your help and expertise to build these institutions. We would like you to show solidarity with the rights of the people of Kurdistan. We also call on you to expend all your efforts to recognize the genocide against our people. We also would like you to work with the relevant parties to establish an EU representation office in the Kurdistan Region, which would help enhancing economic ties between Kurdistan and the EU countries.

We would also like to urge you to support the political process in Iraq on the basis of the Iraqi Constitution and democracy and federalism, and in the fight against terrorism. Unfortunately, terrorism has become a dangerous phenomenon targeting all the peoples of the world. We ourselves have suffered a great deal from terrorism, but we are steadfast in our fight against it, as there is no other way in dealing with terrorism.

We have adopted the policy of tolerance and religious freedom. Women in Kurdistan play their role in building our society and institutions. We now host 250,000 Syrian refugees, mostly Kurds, but there are Arabs and Christina among them too. We are also hosting 200,000 Iraqi Arabs from center and south of the country, who fled to Kurdistan from threat of terrorism and in search of security. There are now 10,000 Christian families who have also fled from other parts of Iraq. In addition to this, some 15,000 people from the Anbar province have fled to Kurdistan.

We are proud of the fact that Kurdistan has become a haven for so many people. However, I must point out that the assistance from the international community for these refugees has not been in par with the assistance provided to refugees in other countries in the region.

As a factor of stability, we in the Kurdistan Region will continue with our policy and do all we can with other Iraqi groups to resolve our problems and to build the institutions of the state. We reiterate our commitment to the Iraqi Constitution. Once again, I would like to ask you for your support and assistance. Thank you very much.

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – In reaction to statements made by Mr. Mugtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadrist Movement, in an interview with the Arabic language Al-Hayat newspaper, Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson made the following statement:

President Barzani has deep respect for Mr. al-Sadr, who along with his family have played an important and historical role in the struggle of the Iraqi people.

President Barzani also has reverence for the role of the leadership of the holy city of Najaf. The President is prepared and would much like to visit Najaf again as soon as possible, as he has done in the past.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (KRG.org) – The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) spokesman, Safeen Dizayee, has expressed the KRG’s heartfelt congratulations to Christians around the world on the occasion of Christmas and announced that the days of 25 and 26 December 2013 will be official holidays in all government departments and institutions in the Kurdistan Region. 

At the same times the KRG spokesman announced that the days of 1 and 2 January will also be official holidays in all government departments and institutions on the occasion of the New Year.