Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (KRG.org) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, on Monday received Mr. Georg Enzweiler, on the occasion of his appointment as Germany’s new Consul General to the Kurdistan Region. 

Mr. Enzweiler expressed his pleasure to be appointed as his country’s Consul General to Kurdistan Region and hoped to further develop bilateral relations between Germany and the Kurdistan Region. He lauded the Kurdistan government, people and Peshmerga forces for their fight against terrorism and accommodating a large number of internally displaced people and refugees, who fled terrorist violence in other parts of Iraq and took refuge in Kurdistan Region.

Mr. Enzweiler reiterated his country’s humanitarian and military support to the Kurdistan Regional Government. The Consul General also reaffirmed his country’s determination to further strengthen the political and economic ties with the Kurdistan Region. He added that, many German companies have actively participated in the Erbil international trade fair, which was held last week in Erbil, saying that Germany will continue to encourage its companies to work in the Kurdistan Region.

Prime Minister Barzani congratulated Mr. Enzweiler for his appointment and reiterated the KRG’s support for the success of the German mission in Kurdistan Region. The Prime Minister valued the humanitarian and military support provided by the German government and hoped that this support will continue in future.

The relation between Erbil and Baghdad, the current political and military situation and the threat of the Islamic State terrorist organization, known as ISIS, on regional security and stability were also among the topics discussed in the meeting.
The Consul General welcomed the breakthrough agreement reached earlier this month between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq and hoped for a successful outcome.  

Both sides agreed on further developing the collaboration and coordination between the Kurdistan Region and Germany, stressing the historical relations between the two peoples.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (Krp,org)- President Masoud Barzani held a meeting today with members of the Kurdistan Parliament from the different ethnic and religious components of Kurdistan, including Turkmans, Chaldeans, Assyrians and Armenians. During the meeting the Kurdistan Parliamentarians who collectively make up the different ethnic and religious components of th Kurdistan society, expressed their objection on the latest establishment of an electoral commission for the Kurdistan Region by the Parliament. The objection stemmed from the fact that the commission will only have representatives from the major political parties inside the Parliament.

President Barzani warmly welcomed the Parliamentary delegation and added that the mosaic of the Kurdistan society can only become more complete with further political participation of all components of the society regardless of how large or small the number of each component may be. The President also shared the delegation's concerns over lack of representation in the new electoral commission and vowed to make every effort to amend the law so that there is representation inside the electoral commission for Chaldeans, Assyrians, Turkmamans and Armenians.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (dfr.krg.org) – Today the President’s Chief of Staff, Dr Fuad Hussein, the Head of KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, and the Head of KRG Department of Media and Information, Minister Safeen Dizayee briefed diplomats and representatives of international organizations on the latest developments.

Minister Mustafa thanked diplomats and representatives of international organizations for their attendance and gave an overview of the recent agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), as well as humanitarian and financial challenges facing the Kurdistan Region.

“We have always preferred to resolve our disputes with Baghdad through dialogue and negotiation. The recently reached agreement is a temporary agreement but we consider it a good start. It is in the interests of both Erbil and Baghdad. We are committed to continue our cooperation with Baghdad in order to finalize more lasting agreements on all of outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad,” Minister Mustafa commented on the agreement. 

Minister Dizayee, who was a member of the KRG delegation to Baghdad, said “The atmosphere of the meeting was very positive. Both sides were determined to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and we saw real desire by Prime Minister Abadi and member of his cabinet to resolve outstanding issues with Erbil.”

Highlighting the advances of Kurdistan’s Peshmerga forces against the ISIS terrorists, Minister Mustafa said, “Thanks to the support of our coalition partners that have provided our forces with military equipments, weapons, and training, and thanks to the bravery of our Peshmerga forces, we have managed to regain control of the vast majority of territory that had been occupied by the ISIS in early August.”

Dr. Hussein emphasized, “Achieving greater security success and stability in Iraq will largely depend on progress in the political process. A genuine power sharing among the Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis is the only possible way forward.” 

Minister Mustafa also updated the attendants on the latest humanitarian developments and the needs of refugees and internally displaced persons who have taken refuge in the Kurdistan Region. He added, “KRG has made concerted efforts to alleviate the sufferings of refugees and IDPs but with our limited resources we are unable to provide adequate relief and assistance.”

Referring to the impact of financial and security challenges on the economic process in the Kurdistan Region during the past several months, Minster Mustafa said, “Today, with the new agreement in hand for revenue sharing and energy, and with steady progress against ISIS, we look with optimism to the period ahead.”

During the meeting, Dr Hussein and Minister Dizayee provided more details on the recent agreement between Erbil and Baghdad as well as the security and economic cooperation between both sides in the face of current challenges.

Consul General of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Fayiz F. Khouri, the new Dean of the diplomatic corps, thanked the DFR for arranging the meeting and expressed his gratitude for the comprehensive briefing on behalf of the diplomats. During the meeting, diplomats and representatives exchanged thoughts on the recent developments. They commended KRG for sheltering hundreds of thousands of refugees and IDPs and highly praised the role of Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS terrorists.

The meeting was attended by diplomats from Jordan, Palestine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Turkey, Poland, United Kingdom, China, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Egypt, Italy, Romania, The Netherlands, South Korea, Czech Republic, Iran, France, Bulgaria, Japan, UNAMI. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (KRG.org) The Kurdistan Regional Government Council of Ministers has appointed the current KRG Representative to the United Kingdom, Ms. Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, as the new KRG Representative to the United States of America.

Commenting on this decision, the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa said, “Based on the KRG’s policy to develop its foreign relations and under the recommendation of the President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, as well as the fact that this important post has been vacant for a period of time, Ms. Rahman has been appointed as the KRG’s new Representative to the United States of America.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government currently has 14 representation offices abroad.

Washington, DC, USA (KRG.org) - During a speech to an audience of top Washington scholars and officials at the Center from Strategic International Studies, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said, ‘Iraq can only be saved if Baghdad is willing to devolve some of its powers to regional authorities and be more inclusive of minorities.’ He said that the poor policies of the previous government alienated the Sunnis of the country, adding, ‘The Islamic State did not fill a security vacuum, but a political vacuum.’

The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) concluded a four-day visit to Washington on Thursday, December 11, 2014. The visit included numerous meetings with senior US administration officials and members of Congress, events at leading think tanks, a roundtable discussion with US business leaders, and interviews with several news agencies.

In an opinion published in the Wall Street Journal, Mr Talabani laid out the challenges that Iraq will face in the future, calling for a return to the federalist structure of the Iraqi Constitution. He applauded the recent negotiations with Baghdad, but said that this is ‘Iraq’s last chance’ to succeed.

Earlier this month the KRG reached an agreement with Baghdad to contribute 250,000 bpd of Kurdish oil and 300,000 bpd from the Kirkuk oilfields to the Iraqi central marketing authority in return for the disbursement of the KRG’s share of Iraqi federal oil revenues. The negotiations demonstrated a possible rapprochement in Erbil-Baghdad relations.

‘US airstrikes have succeeded in ending the expeditionary ventures of the Islamic State, forcing them to change tactics. However, defeating these terrorists will require greater cooperation between Kurdish, Iraqi, and international security forces,’ the DPM said at a meeting with Representative Devin Nunes. Rep. Nunes, the new Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, praised the Peshmerga for their efforts in combating ISIS and highlighted US-KRG cooperation at the Joint Operations Center in Erbil.

Since August, the US and coalition forces have carried out hundreds of airstrikes on ISIS targets throughout Iraq. These efforts are coordinated largely through the Joint Operations Center where over 1,500 US military advisors work closely with the Peshmerga to identify and destroy terrorist positions.

The DPM also met with other influential members of Congress including Senators John McCain, Dianne Feinstein, and Lindsey Graham, and Representatives Michael McCaul, Steny Hoyer, Dana Rohrabacher, and others.

Mr Talabani conducted a number of meetings with US administration and defense officials at the Department of State, Pentagon, and White House. He updated the officials on the political, security, and humanitarian developments in the Kurdistan Region, and asked administration officials to continue to be supportive of the KRG’s efforts to resolve outstanding issues with Baghdad.

He also met with members of the US-Kurdistan Business Council to discuss business opportunities in the region. He said, ‘Kurdistan remains safe, secure, and open for international investment.’

The KRG Mission in Washington hosted a town hall meeting with DPM Talabani for the Kurdish-American community at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fairfax, Virginia. Mr Talabani delivered remarks and updates from the Kurdistan Region, and took questions from the audience for over two hours. He also thanked the community for their ongoing support for the 1.5 million displaced persons. Several organizations in the Washington area, including the KRG Mission, have organization financial and clothing donation drives to bring supplies to those in need.

Media  appearances

Qubad Talabani op-ed in Wall Street Journal – ‘Saving Iraq in the Post-Maliki Era’  http://bit.ly/1sordbC

Lara Jakes for the Associated Press – ‘Iraqi Kurd urges regional rule for Iraqi Sunnis’ http://apne.ws/1xaJRKK

Margeret Warner for PBS NewsHour -  ‘Kurdish deputy prime minister urges U.S. leaders to remain engaged in Iraq’ http://to.pbs.org/1Gp1o1E

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (KRG.org) - President Massoud Barzani held a meeting yesterday with the returned Peshmergas who had been fighting the Islamic State terrorist organization, known as ISIS, in Kobane. The President honoured and commended their efforts and highlighted their “determinant role in the fight and their commitment in assisting their Kurdish brethren in Syria.”

In late October, the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, sent 160 Peshmerga troops along with heavy artillery to Kobane to assist the Syrian Kurdish forces in their fight against ISIS. None of the Peshmergas were martyred. However, 11 were injured.

They have all returned back to the Kurdistan Region, Brigadier Ahmed Gardi, who led the Peshmerga troops in Kobane, told KRG.org.

Having fought for over a month, they were replaced with a second group of another 160 soldiers who left the Kurdistan Region last week. The Peshmergas flew to Turkey and crossed the border to Syria, whereas weapons where brought to Kobane by road.

In a statement to KRG.org, Helgurd Hikmet, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, said that the military objectives of sending troops to Kobane had so far been met. “Not only had the Peshmergas from the Kurdistan Region brought heavy artillery with them to Kobane, strengthening Syrian Kurdish forces position, they had also been involved in direct combat operations, alongside Syrian Kurdish forces, with the coalition air force support, against ISIS.”

Brigadier Ahmed Gardi stated that “When the Peshmerga forces arrived in Kobane, Syrian Kurdish forces only had control of 15 to 20 percent of the Kurdish town. Following the arrival of the Peshmerga troupes, 20 to 30 square kilometers of Kobane started to be liberated per day. Now, 50 percent of the war torn town is under Kurdish control and 50 percent under ISIS."

He added “After recapturing and liberating areas that previously were under the control of the terrorists, 200 displaced families who were stranded on the border with Turkey were able to return to the Peshmerga secured parts of Kobane.”

At the meeting, President Barzani told the returned Peshmergas, that the “Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq were ready to continue to provide military and other forms of support to the people of Kobane.”

The President also presented his condolences to the families and loved ones of the Peshmerga forces who had been killed by the terrorists since the start of the fight against ISIS in Kurdistan Region in early August.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening and welcome to you all.

I am happy and pleased to participate here today with you in this event. We are witnessing another success in Kurdistan, as we are seeing another important and big step by Kurdistan towards the rest of the world which is the recognition of the historical Citadel of Erbil as a World Heritage Site, enabling it to formally become part of the archeological and cultural history of the world.

The recognition and inclusion of the Erbil Citadel on the World Heritage List is a source of pride and great honour for Erbil, Kurdistan, the people of Kurdistan, Iraq and even the larger Middle East. It is an important and worthy event.

The Citadel of Erbil is a place with a long history, over 6000 years old, putting its roots in the history books. Tens of leaders, rulers, emperors and world leaders have passed by the Citadel during different periods in history. The Citadel was used as a fortress to defend Erbil and its people and helped defeat the strongest and most dangerous armies. It always remained a proud symbol in the middle of Erbil.

In recent history, a significant number of personalities and famous figures from the Citadel have served Kurdistan in various fields. The lifestyle and the culture of the Citadel became an important part of the daily live of the people, society and culture in Erbil. The Citadel has frequently been mentioned in Kurdish literature and traditional songs.

It is the right of the people of Erbil and Kurdistan to be proud of this achievement of Erbil Citadel being listed in the World Heritage List, and that it has become the property of all humanity.

On this occasion on behalf of myself, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the people of Kurdistan, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the UNESCO and the High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization specially Mr. Dara Yaqobi who heads this Commission and his colleagues who worked tirelessly to ensure the recognition of the Erbil Citadel as a World Heritage Site. I would like to also thank the Iraqi Board of Archaeology, the Iraqi Permanent Mission to UNESCO and all the countries which helped the revitalization of Citadel, Erbil Governor, the relevant authorities and those countries which voted for the Citadel of Erbil to be on the list of World Heritage Sites.

Also, by the name of the people of Kurdistan and Erbil, I would also like to warmly welcome the Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova who ispresent today at this ceremony and who helped greatly on this issue. We thank her and welcome her to Kurdistan and Iraq.

Distinguished guests,

While we mark today an important cultural milestone and celebrate this success, we cannot not mention the situation which our country and the region pass through. We are currently confronting a vicious and dark terror. In these circumstances Kurdistan has become the front line of the international coalition’s war against terror and the brave Peshmerga of Kurdistan are fighting on behalf of the world and humanity, defending the land and people of Kurdistan and the principles of the free world. They are sacrificing their lives every day and they are now also alongside their brothers and sisters supporting Kobane where they are fighting and defending themselves together.

During these circumstances, the first condition in order for us to succeed is to ensure the national unity of all the various Kurdish political parties as well as the people of Kurdistan. The support and assistance of our friends across the world and in the region has allowed the Peshmerga to bravely fight in the battlefields with the spirit of ‘Either Kurdistan or death.’ They are making progress on a daily basis and day by day they will continue to defeat the terrorists.

To achieve greater success and defeating the terrorists the Peshmerga needs heavy weaponry, training and more assistance from our friends and the international community. Here again, I would like to thank the international coalition and all our friends who have helped us militarily or through humanitarian assistance, but we are hoping that they provide us with further assistance.

Another issue that has made the current situation difficult is the decision early this year by theIraqi federal government to cut the budget of the Kurdistan Region as well as the salaries of the KRG employees. This is a failed policy, as they used the livelihoods of the people of Kurdistan as a pressure card against the Kurdistan Regional Government becauseof political disputes. Baghdad accused the Kurdistan Region of having sold oil independently, which is far from reality. The Kurdistan Region began to export oil only after Bagdad government cut our budget, which forced the Kurdistan Regional Government to start selling its oil. However the patience of the people of Kurdistan and their endurance regarding the lack of salaries being paid on time has proven the failure of this wrong policy.  This policy along with other failed policies by Baghdad resulted in huge political, security and economic disasters across Iraq.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the citizens, employees and people of Kurdistan and reiterate my appreciation for their patience and understanding during this economic embargo. Thanks to the businessmen, companies and contractors, whom despite the lack of budget, continued their work in the process of the reconstruction of Kurdistan, and who did not stop their operations.

Here I would like to tell the people of Kurdistan, after long efforts, the Kurdistan Regional Government is close to solving the financial crisis and in the near future, this issue will be resolved. I would like again to ensure the employees of the Kurdistan Regional Government that none of their salaries will be lost and that they will receive their complete salaries.

Distinguished guests,

We in the Kurdistan Region have preserved our national unity and formed our broad-based government, and decided jointly to participate together in the new Iraqi federal government. We reiterate that the Kurdistan Region is willing and ready to solve all the outstanding issues with Baghdad through dialogue based on a proper understanding of the reality of the disputes.

We see our participation in the new federal Iraqi government as a chance to come together to solve the outstanding issues and where we can reach a solution which is in the benefit of all Iraq and all of us. An Iraq that can learn from the previous mistakes and act in a way to save the country from the disaster that it is currently passing through.

Again I would like to welcome you all and a heartfelt congratulations to the people of Kurdistan and Erbil. Its Citadel will be a part of the culture of humanity and property of the world. I am confident that a bright future, more success and progress are ahead of us.

I would like to wish you all a pleasant evening. Thank you very much.

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq, (krg.org) - KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani today received Mr. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, accompanied by Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, and several UN officials.

Mr. Eliasson conveyed the gratitude of the United Nations and the international community to the Kurdistan people and their government for welcoming and hosting over 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees. He offered his condolences to the families of Kurdistan Region’s security forces, including the peshmerga, who lost their lives in protecting civilians against ISIS’ ruthless aggression.

The situation in Kobane and sending Peshmarga forces to the town and KRG’s support against ISIS aggression were among the topics discussed in the meeting.

KRG's role in restricting and reducing the threat of ISIS aggression in Iraq was also discussed. Prime Minister Barzani outlined the latest developments of the fight against terrorism. He noted that peshmerga forces along a 1,000-kilometer front are fighting not only for the  Kurdistan Region but also on behalf of the world.

It was mutually acknowledged that resolving the ISIS issue requires not only effective military efforts, but also efforts that accept and sincerely invite all Iraqis to participate in a political process that is genuinely inclusive.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the importance of Kurdistan Region’s role in the national political process as essential and effective. He noted that a stable Iraq is also essential for Kurdistan.

Prime Minister Barzani reaffirmed KRG support for Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi’s government and that it wishes to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue. He thanked the UN for supporting formal negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad during the formation of the government.

Prime Minister Barzani reiterated Kurdistan’s requirements of substantial humanitarian and military support from the international community to reduce suffering of more than 1.5 million displaced people and to prevent further ISIS’ aggression.