President Barzani Meets with General Lloyd Austin
Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (Krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani received a military and diplomatic delegation from the United States headed by General Lloyd Austin, the commander of the U.S. Central Command. The meeting was also attended by the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Stuart Jones. President Barzani and General Austin reviewed the latest military operations against the terrorists of the Islamic State in the areas bordering the Kurdistan Region and also spoke of the latest combat operations in al-Anbar and Salahadin provinces in central Iraq.
The two sides also spoke of Turkey's latest efforts against the Islamic State and stated that they are pleased with such move. President Barzani did state that the latest operation against the Kurdistan's Workers' Party creates obstacles for the peace process between the Kurds and Turkey, a process which had given hope to millions of Kurds and Turks alike. He added that the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will continue to support the peace process there and urged both sides to remain committed to the peace process.
General Austin stated that the United States will continue to support the Kurdistan Region and that this war must be ended with the utter defeat of the terrorists.
KRP Welcomes Baghdad's Reform Decisions
Through a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the KRP welcomes the new attempts at reform in the institutions of the Iraqi government.
The statement also added that the Kurdistan Region will continue to support such efforts by the Council of Ministers in Baghdad provided that the efforts are mindful of the participation of the Kurdistan Region. The statement concluded by stating that the decisions regarding the reform process ought to be within the framework of the Constitution.
President Barzani Receives U.S. Delegation
Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (Krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani received a military and diplomatic delegation from the United States today, the delegation was headed by Mr. Brett McGurk, deputy assistant secretary for Iraq and Iran at the Department of State. President Barzani and ambassador McGurk reviewed the latest developments with the war against the Islamic State, both in the Kurdistan Region and in Iraq.
The two sides also spoke of Turkey's latest air attacks against the bases of the PKK. President Barzani reiterated his message to ambassador McGurk on calling upon both Ankara and the PKK to work in pursuit of the completion of the peace process in Turkey.
President Barzani also repeated his appreciation for the U.S. and other coalition members' air support for Kurdistan against the terrorists of the Islamic State, adding that such support has caused serious damage to the enemy and that it will result in the complete liberation of all areas taken by the terrorists in the near future.
Ambassador McGurk stated that the United States will continue to support the Kurdistan Region and that the terrorists of the Islamic State constitute a common enemy which must cease to exist.
Nazem Dabbagh in Talk with Fars News Agency: the Transfer of 80 Iranian and 9 Iraqi Kurdish prisoners in next week to serve their Sentences
The representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran said: 80 Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish prisoners will be transferred to Iraq and Kurdistan Region next week to serve their sentences.
Dabbagh in talk with the reporter of Fars News Agency Foreign Policy, mentioning, the vice-foreign minister, Hassan Ghashghawi’s travel to the Region of Iraq and his talk with the authorities of the Region including Jalal Talibani, Nechirvan Barezani the chief of The Judiciary and others said: according to widespread relations this travel is beneficial and pessimistic. About the broadening goes and comes especially on the behalf of Iranian authorities of Kurdistan Region of Iraq he showed hope.
Concerning the outcomes of this travel Dabbagh said: it has been to transfer 80 Iranian prisoners in the region to Iran and 9 Iraqi Kurdish ones in Iran to the Region to keep serving their sentences.
The representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran relating this said: this transfer will be done next week, this is the first list of prisoners and the second will soon be operational.
Nazem Dabbagh: the Role of I.R. of Iran in Fighting Terrorists has been Positive and Active
Nazem Dabbagh the representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran, about our country appreciating Iran’s positions said: the role of Iran in fighting terrorists has been positive and active. The representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran in talk with the News Agency of the second international of congress of 17000 martyrs of terror, astonishing the hold of this international congress said: the hold of such congress has always been beneficial to more convergence of these attitudes and specially appreciating victims and injuries.
Mentioning the necessity and cooperative of regional countries to confront with the threat of terrorism Dabbagh said: terrorism presently is not a threat to only a system or country but to all the region and world; thus these threats make it necessary more than ever.
He added: a logical understanding of this matter that terrorism threatens all of us and of that we do not have to deal with it according to our special benefit the only way is to make all attempts convergent against terrorism. In a response to a question based on what actions KRG took to restore Kurds’ rights who were sacrificed to Saddam and Monafeghin’s crimes Dabbagh said: KRG has tried to put the massacre of Kurds and their being aimed by terrorism continuously in international meetings. Knowing the countries’ behavior claiming to fight against terrorism twofold and some other countries’ help so little Dabbagh appreciated Iran’s role and said: as of a yet we have observed positive active role of I.R. of Iran in fighting terrorism and Iraq government and the Region have also insisted on. We appreciate Iran’s help to Iraqi and Kurdsih people.
Finally while knowing the role of Moneafeghin terrorist cell unimportant in the current atmosphere of Iraq Dabbagh said: this cell are not effective in Iraq as before, in addition Kurds condemned their criminal operations against Kurdish nation when this groups established near the border of KR, they insist on their rights and follow them.
Nazem Dabbagh Talks with Etemad press: Iraq Needs Help
Scrutinizing Haydar-Al-Ebadi’s journey, the P.M of Iraq, to America, in an Iraqi’s view can be the indicative of point being thought by Baghdad. To achieve this goal, we had a short talk with Mr. Nazem Dabbagh, the representative of KRG in Iran as followed:
Iraqi Prime Minister’s journey to the USA in Iraqi meetings is called a strategic one, in your view what important aspects can this journey have?
In current conditions Iraq needs different helps, whether politically, sociology or from the viewpoint of fighting against terrorism and ISIS. While after Iran’s agreement with 5+1, there will more opportunity to more cooperation in fighting terrorism. I am so optimistic about this journey so that Iraq can gain what it wants as it’s the least needs including consultative and military helps.
What arms helps does Iraq need?
In my opinion, first of all, Iraq needs consultative help, however, arms like fighter planes and UAVs in addition to supply armaments can help Iraq effectively.
How does America’s arms aid to Iraq help Baghdad fight ISIS?
Helps whether from America or from any other countries can cause military and logistic strength of Iraq. ISIS is not a small group but an organization calling itself Islamic Government and has created territory for itself and has many hidden forces joining this organization from all over the world. However, in my opinion, the best help can be to create to strength the interior relations among parties, tribes and Iraqi different groups in order to cause a real cooperation inside the government of the country.
KRG Council of Ministers Presidency condemns the air strike on Zargali village
Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In a statement, the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers, condemned the Turkish air strike on Zargali village in the District of Rawanduz, martyring eight people, five of whom are villagers from the Kurdistan Region.
Following is the text of the statement:
Following Turkish air raid on Zargali village in the District of Rawanduz early this morning, eight people, five of whom are from the Kurdistan Region, were martyred and a number of others were wounded.
We condemn the martyrdom of Kurdistan Region citizens and targeting its villages. We call on Turkey to stay away from all forms of strike against villages and other populated areas of the Kurdistan Region. At the same time we call on the Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK, to keep their forces and their headquarters away from villages and populated areas, to avoid targeting citizens of the Kurdistan Region and becoming victims of the conflict between them and Turkey.
We call on both sides to return to direct negotiations. We are ready to offer any required assistance in this regard.
Presidency of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers
1 August 2015
Iran aims to strengthen its relations with Kurdistan Region
Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received Hassan Danaei-Far, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq and his accompanying delegation.
Ambassador Danaei-Far valued Kurdistan Region for its continuous progress and development, successful campaigns against the Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS, and resistance to the economic difficulties which the Region faces, as well as the Region’s ability to accommodate a significant number of refugees and internally displaced people.
He reiterated his country’s support for the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, and highlighted bilateral relations, expressing his wishes for further developing these relations.
Prime Minister Barzani thanked the delegation for their visit, describing the relations between Kurdistan Region and the Islamic Republic of Iran as historic. He said, Iran has been helping Kurdistan Region people in the difficult times.
He expressed his wishes for further developing bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and the Islamic Republic of Iraq.
The situation in the region, Iraq and the relations between KRG and Iraqi Federal Government were among the topics, discussed in the meeting.
KRG ready to assist Turkey and PKK to resume peace process talks
Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received a delegation from People’s Democratic Party, HDP, led by Turkish parliament member, Osman Baydemir, and several representatives of the party in Kurdistan Region and Turkey.
The members of the delegation expressed their condolences to the government and the people of Kurdistan Region on the killing of a number of civilians in last week’s Turkish air attack on Zargali village in the Kurdistan Region.
The delegation visited the Region in order to investigate the incidence.
The members of the delegation also shed light on the situation of the Kurdish people in the region in general, describing it as fragile and necessitates cooperation among all the political sides and protect the unity of rank in the face of the challenges ahead for the region in general and the Kurdistan people in particular.
The two sides also discussed the peace process in Turkey and the recent confrontations between Turkey and Kurdistan Workers Party, PKK. They stressed that the current tension cannot be solved militarily, but only through peaceful means.
In this regard, Prime Minister Barzani reaffirmed that the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, is ready to play its role in helping to revive the peace process in Turkey and resume negotiations between the two sides.
Regarding the civilian casualties in the recent confrontation between Turkey and PKK, Prime Minister Barzani said that PKK guerrillas should move away from villages and populated areas, and Turkey also must not target civilians in search for PKK guerrillas.
He pointed out that large numbers of civilian population have abandoned their villages in the border areas for fear of possible bombardments.
Prime Minister Barzani reaffirmed that the current tension cannot be solved militarily, calling on both sides to return to the negotiation table.
July report - KRG continues direct oil sales to overcome budget shortfall
Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region dropped during July due to sabotage of the pipeline through Turkey.
According to the monthly Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, oil export report for July, 16,019,090 barrels of crude oil (average 516,745 bpd) were exported through the pipeline through Turkey. This is a 6.5 per cent decline over June when the KRG exported 17,130,639 barrels (average 571,021 bpd).
In an earlier statement, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources said that since 27 July “there have been sabotage attacks and attempted thefts on the pipelines that carry crude oil from the Kurdistan Region to Ceyhan in Turkey”. According to the monthly export report, stoppage occurred “in the flow of crude oil to Ceyhan for 111 hours”.
Of the total amount of oil exported in July, fields operated by the KRG supplied 12,020,683 barrels (average 387,764 bpd) while fields operated by the North Oil Company (NOC) supplied 3,998,407 barrels (average 128,981 bpd).
Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Company, SOMO, in Ceyhan received 2,201,540 barrels (average 71,017 bpd). The KRG intended to deliver to SOMO a further two million barrels at the end of July, but was unable to do so due to the pipeline interruption.
According to the report, the KRG continued its direct oil sales in Ceyhan in July in order to compensate the Region for the budget shortfalls from the federal government and to pay debts incurred during 2014.
The KRG has, however, announced it will continue to work with its counterparts in the federal government to reach a resolution on all outstanding oil and gas issues per the joint statement of June 17, 2015 by the KRG’s Regional Council for Oil and Gas Affairs and the five political parties in the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Earlier this week, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources announced that from September 2015 onwards, the KRG will on a monthly basis allocate a portion of the revenue from its direct crude oil sales to the producing international oil companies, IOCs. Further, with exports anticipated to increase in early 2016, the KRG envisages making additional revenue available. This is important for IOCs to maintain and increase production levels.
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