Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minster, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, ICC, Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo and his accompanying delegation.

The two sides discussed the situation of the victims of terrorist attacks, particularly the Yazidi Kurds who last year were subject to barbaric attacks by Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS.

They highlighted the efforts exerted by Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, to obtain international recognition of the crimes committed against Yazidi Kurds as genocide.

Prime Minister Barzani briefed the delegation about the tasks undertaken by KRG Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs in this regard.

Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo expressed his sympathy to the Yazidi community, the people and the government of Kurdistan Region, reiterating his support to the KRG efforts in obtaining genocide recognition of the Yazidi case, considering it as a humanitarian case which is important for the entire humanity.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his and his government’s gratitude to Mr. Moreno-Ocampo for his support. He noted that the KRG will continue its efforts to liberate the Yazidi men and women who still are remained captive at the hands of ISIS.

Prime Minister Barzani meanwhile thanked the NGO’s and aid agencies for offering assistance to the victims of terrorism.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In a telephone call with Abdulla Kurdi, the father of Alan Kurdi, whose heartbreaking images of his tragic death shocked the entire world, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, on Friday expressed his condolences on the loss of his two children, Alan and Ghalib and his wife, Reyhan Shito.

Prime Minister Barzani wished Almighty God bless Mr. Abdulla and give him patience.

He also expressed his condolences to the families of all those migrants who fled Kurdistan of Syria and have lost their beloved ones on the route to Europe.

Mr. Kurdi thanked Prime Minister Barzani for his sympathy and sharing their grief and mourning which, he said, will help to ease his and his family’s sorrow.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In August, direct oil export from Kurdistan Region continued despite sabotage and attempted theft on the export pipeline inside Turkey borders, which occurred on 27 July and extended to the first week of August.

According to the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, Ministry of Natural Resources Oil Export Report, in August Kurdistan Region has exported 14,657,798 barrels of crude oil, an average of 472,832 bpd, through the Kurdistan pipeline network to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey. This is an 8.5 per cent decline comparing to 16,019,090 barrels which were exported in July.

The decline, according to the report, was due to nine days of downtime for the export pipeline which mostly occurred at the beginning of the month.

Of the exported amount, fields operated by the KRG contributed 10,958,817 barrels, an average of 353,510 bpd, while fields operated by the North Oil Company, NOC, contributed 3,698,981 barrels, an average of 119,322 bpd.

In August, the Kurdistan Regional Government delivered a total of 1,579,004 barrels, an average of 50,936 bpd, to the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Company, SOMO.

The monthly export report said that in August, the KRG “continued its direct oil sales in Ceyhan to compensate the Region for the budget shortfalls from the federal government in Baghdad and to continue to pay down debts accumulated in 2014 from pre-payments for direct oil sales” the report highlighted.”

Last week, KRG Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed that the Kurdistan Regional Council for Oil and Gas Affairs expects the first tranche of regular payments to the producing IOCs to be made available during the first half of September 2015.

In an earlier statement by KRG ministry of Natural Resources it was urged that as oil export is expected to rise in early 2016, the KRG envisages making additional revenue available to the IOCs to enable them to begin to catch up on the past receivables due under their production sharing contracts.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In the presence of representatives of the diplomatic missions and a number of Kurdistan members of parliament and ministers, the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, opened the ceremony of launching the electronic social protection network system, initiated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

In a speech he made, Prime Minister Barzani, described the Ministry’s project as part of a broader reform policy, which the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, plans to implement.

He said, “The KRG insists on continuing the reform process because it believes meaningful reform is important to successfully meet the difficult challenges we face. It is about enhancing efforts toward justice and providing more efficient and effective services to our citizens.”

Following is the text of the speech:

Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished guests,

Good morning and welcome,

It is my pleasure to participate with you all in the commencement ceremony of an important project that has great value for the Kurdistan Regional Government. This is yet another step by the KRG to strengthen the government’s reform efforts, notably its administrative system.

This is a step towards establishing a fair, effective system pertaining to salaries, allowances, and financial assistance. To a great extent, it will diminish the possibility of taking undue advantage of the government’s payroll system. This system will greatly facilitate the administration of matters to better serve our citizens. 

The idea of developing the current social protection network into an efficient, effective electronic system is not new to the KRG.  The government has been preparing and developing this project for some time.  I take this opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Mr. Muhammed Hawdiani, for making this project a priority and bringing it to a stage ready for implementation.

The implementation of this project enables all departments in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to be linked directly to the Ministry’s Diwan.  This is intended to enable the Ministry to carry out tasks in an easy and smooth manner. On the one hand, this will strengthen the social protection system; on the other hand, it is a practical step towards combating corruption.

I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Planning, and the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, for their cooperation and team work in developing this important system. We look forward to other KRG ministries and offices successfully adopting and applying key features of this project.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Kurdistan Regional Government is making concerted efforts to conduct important reforms in all sectors by taking advantage of modern systems, cutting-edge technologies, innovative knowledge and expertise in order to reorganize the working of our government.  The intention is to bring our administrative and service systems up to levels that are efficient, effective, which meet international standards.

Step by step, taking into consideration our resources and capabilities, we will continue to make necessary reforms in all fields.  We have a strong will to make reforms and we will continue to do so. We say we will do it step by step because we believe that for reform to be done effectively it needs to be done carefully, with patience and perseverance. We will do reforms in accordance with thoughtful planning and carefully designed programs, not by impulsive action.

Reform is not an isolated process independent of other principles and interactions.  Reform is a broad and long-term process that relates to many factors. It cannot be seen and realized as a mere decision of the prime minister or the council of ministers to do reform!

That is why this process is not as simple as reading it in a newspaper article. It is a process that needs a strong will to make it happen. It needs patience and perseverance until it provides expected results. It is a process that needs short, medium, and long term plans. Such is the project implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. It is anticipated to have positive impact in the near future on our reform efforts by insuring justice for disabled persons seeking benefits from our social protection system.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Taking practical reform steps during this time when we fight terrorism and face severe political, economic, and financial challenges has only one meaning, which is that the KRG insists on continuing the reform process because it believes meaningful reform is important to successfully meet the difficult challenges we face. It is about enhancing efforts toward justice and providing more efficient and effective services to our citizens.

Reform is a priority on the government’s agenda.  All KRG ministers are making reform efforts and many have made good progress. In early 2014 when disagreements with Baghdad over budget and other issues began, the KRG took practical steps to reduce expenditure and increase income. I certainly believe that Kurdistan’s citizens in the near future will see more results of the reforms.

I also want to reiterate that this step by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is one of the initial steps of the KRG in the reform process. In the near future the KRG will announce greater steps in this regard.

Again, I thank the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Minister. I wish them continued success.

Thank you and Welcome again.

Nazem Dabbag, the representative of Kurdistan Regional Government in Iran in a round table with Bahram Amir-Ahmadian, researcher of Turkey Issues, and Mehdi Motahhar-Nia, expert and Futurist,  analyzed Racep Tayyip Erdoghan’ new policy in fighting ISIS and P.K.K of which main points followed:

In the answer to the question about the cause of Turkey’s fighting against ISIS and P.K.K Dabbagh told: in my view, Turkey's invasion of ISIS and P.K.K, Suicide Terrorism of Suruc and Turkey’ reaction to that terrorist attack was a scenario as a whole. After being unsuccessful in his regional policy against Syria and establishing Ottoman Empire, Turkey wanted going to regional changing in a new manner, since if it had not had active role in the region, it would have omitted. The second issue was the current election of Turkey. The cabinet now being forced in Turkey conceived if election repeats, by missions against P.K.K and ISIS, it is able to re-obtain all votes that it has lost as a result of the political problems and ISIS in Iraq.     

Dabbagh mentioned about the duties of regional states in this critical situation. He stated: everyone looks at this situation in lens of his benefits. I, as a Kurd, always tell that Kurds should be aware that not going to the core of states contests. I currently in an interview notified that land of Kurds as an Arian race has been Iran. Hence, Iraqi Kurds and Iran could be strategic allies. Without accusation to the turkey to assist ISIS, Dabbagh stated that assistances to the ISIS dispatch by land and the solely land road for helping ISIS is Turkey.  

Dabbagh, in continue, added: in the regional changing US has win much more than other. In my point of view ISIS would not be obliterated. It will get weak but remain. For the ground making it exists in the region and, so, as long as these grounds would not obliterate, ISIS will be alive. The religious, social, economic and even cultural ground for growth of ISIS has stayed alive. 

Ultimately, Dabbagh said: the last issue I want to mention it is that the enemy of Kurdish movement created ISIS, because of this, in the first days that ISIS occupied Mosul, I had a media interview and told that this accident made Kurd and Iraq allied. But I warned that whether ISIS could occupy Baghdad or not, it would assault to Kurdistan Region.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – Minister Falah Mustafa, Head of KRG Foreign Relations today discussed bilateral ties and recent developments with the Norwegian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense.

Minister Mustafa thanked both Ministers for visiting the Kurdistan Region and expressed the gratitude of the people of Kurdistan Region for Norway’s continued humanitarian and military support.

“We view Norway as a partner and we want to establish a long term partnership with the Government of Norway. The KRG desires to broaden ties with the Government of Norway in the fields of economy, culture, energy, education and capacity building,” Minister Mustafa added. 

Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, highly spoke of the role of Kurdistan Region in dealing with the humanitarian and security challenges facing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Minister Brende said, “Fighting terrorism and caring for refugees and displaced people is a global challenge. Members of the international community have a shared responsibility to support KRG.”

The Minister announced that the government of Norway recently donated $13 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and stressed that “The Kurdistan Region can count on the support of Norway”.

Both Ministers exchanged views on the preparation of the opening of the Norwegian representation office in Kurdistan. Minister Brende stated, “Norway is committed to establish a long term partnership with the Kurdistan Region.”

Eriksen Søreide, Minister of Defense of Norway, highlighted the bravery of Peshmerga forces in the fight against international terrorism and reiterated the commitment of the government of Norway to continue its military support to Peshmergas. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – The Outgoing Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Iraq, Ms. Jana Hybaskova, today visited the KRG Department of Foreign Relations to bid farewell and to introduce the first Head of EU Delegation Liaison Office in Erbil, Mr. Patrick Geysen.

On behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Minister Falah Mustafa expressed his full appreciation for the role of Ambassador Hybaskova in the opening of the EU Liaison Office in Erbil.

Minister Mustafa stated, “Your active engagement during your tenure have laid the foundations for collaboration in many areas, and the KRG applauds your contribution.”

The Minister congratulated Mr. Geysen on his appointment and assured him of the support and assistance of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations to ensure the success of his mission in Kurdistan Region.

Ambassador Hybaskova thanked the KRG, in particular the Department of Foreign Relations for their assistance to the EU mission in Iraq and stressed that the opening of the EU office in Erbil provides a great opportunity to further consolidate EU-KRG cooperation and partnership in all fields. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received the Norwegian Defense Minister, Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, and Foreign Minister Børge Brende, and their accompanying delegation.

The meeting was also attended by the Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister, Qubad Talabani, Minister of Peshmerga Affairs, Mustafa Sayed Qadir and other Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, senior officials.

Norwegian Foreign Minister praised the people and government of the Kurdistan Region for having accommodated and assisted a large number of internally displaced people, IDPs, and refuges, who fled violent repressions of the Islamic State terrorist organization, ISIS, and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

Mr. Brende also praised the role of the Peshmerga forces in protecting the Region against ISIS.

Norwegian Defense Minister reiterated her country’s support to the Peshmerga forces particularly in the fields of military training, expressing her satisfaction for the progress that has been made in the training plan of the Peshmerga forces.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed the gratitude of the Kurdistan people and government to the Norwegian government for its assistance to the Kurdistan Region at this difficult time.

Prime Minster Barzani urged the Norwegian government and international community to increase their humanitarian assistance to Kurdistan Region in order to be able to face the humanitarian crisis which it currently experiences as the result of the fight against terrorism.

He also asked for the continuation of Norwegian support for the Peshmerga forces.
The two sides also discussed the recent developments in the region and the relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraqi Federal Government.