Nazem Dabbagh the representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq in Tehran, in talk with E’temad Press, dealt with Turkey-P.K.K crisis, of which outlines followed:

In the response to the first question relating chasing and escaping of Turkey’s Kurds and Army Dabbagh said: unhappily instead of following peace and comfortable solution with Kurds, Turkish government has highly increased its military performance against Turkey’s Kurds and put more pressure on the people of the country more than ever. Even though Kurdish people and political organization and their fans intend to bring an end to siege of the people in the country but unfortunately we are witnessing that people are deprived and refugee, besides leaving many injuries these attacks have not left many way to treat. He added that Ankara would increase these pressures.

Concerning the effectiveness of military way to overcome P.K.K Dabbagh stated: this has been experienced many times during long years. Military way have not given favorable outcome for many years and P.K.K and Kurds will live their own life. Both KRG and different European countries are following that both side put an end to their concerns through talk. During past years Turkish government entered into negotiations, in spite of reaching a peaceful process the government has begun to strike again. Dabbagh also added that Ahmad Davoudoghlu’s claim, P.M of Turkey, about wiping the P.K.K out reminds him of the president of former Iraqi regime talking about Kurds of this country.  

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.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani welcomed Norway’s Foreign Minister Borge Brende and Norway’s Defense Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide in his office in Salahaddin today. 

In their meeting, President Barzani and the Norwegian Ministers discussed Norway’s role, as part of the international coalition against ISIS, in supporting the peshmerga forces with training and capacity building. They also discussed political developments in the country and in the wider region.

Foreign Minister Brende commended the role of President Barzani in leading the peshmerga forces against ISIS terrorists and for his personal involvement in supervising battles in the front lines against the terrorists. He reiterated his country’s commitment to continue to support the peshmerga forces in confronting the terrorists’ threat. 

President Barzani thanked Norway’s for its support and expressed his hope that this cooperation can be further strengthened. He said the with the support of Norway and other coalition partners the peshmerga forces have been able to stand up to the ISIS terrorists and inflict many losses on them. 
On the political developments in Kurdistan, the President said that what is happening is a natural outcome of a democratic process, emphasizing that the political disputes between the parties have not in any way affected the morale of the peshmerga forces. 

The President and the Norwegian delegation also discussed developments in Syria and in Turkey. On the current conflict between Turkey and the PKK, the President said that the only solution is going back to negotiations, and the KRG is ready to help restart the peace process. 

In an interview with the reporter of Etemad Press, Nazem Dabbagh put the different aspects of Turkey’ recent army operations against ISIS and P.K.K under-discussion of which outlines as followed:

About the outcomes of violating the ceasefire by P.K.K, Dabbagh said: in general not to obedient to ceasefire is a negative work and violating it by both sides will absolutely cause challenges between them. In addition, relating to Turkey’s joining to anti-ISIS coalition, Dabbagh added: in my view Turkey at last had to fight ISIS since witnesses prove that bombing in Kurdish region in Turkey was performed by ISIS. Certainly, after finishing its mission in Iraq and Syria, ISIS will head to Turkey. The danger of ISIS is not threatening Iraq and Syria but all the region and world, thus; Turkey may use ISIS as a tool to oppress the Kurds of Iraq and Syria. Furthermore about the difference between ISIS and P.K.K in Turkey’s view Dabbagh said: it is not different for Turkey. For it considers P.K.K terrorist as ISIS. On the pretext of fighting terrorism has aimed P.K.K. but it requires to give more clear definition for terrorism so that the border between Turkey and ISIS get specified. Nowadays if there is any problem, we all have to be united so that we can defeat terrorist.

He added: in my view it will cause many great problems and destroy the peace in Kurdsih regions of turkey. He insisted: these challenges will definitely be a chance for ISIS. Fighting between Turkey and P.K.K will absolutely make it easy for ISIS to move toward Kurdish regions of Syria and cause Kurds’ positions weak severely. Finally Dabbagh mentioned the position of KRG of Iraq about this and said: KRG of Iraq has frequently followed to establish peace, stability and talks for peace and it will never get into war. If this fighting occurs, one of the regions which absolutely suffer is KRG.  

Nazem Dabbagh the representative of KRG in Tehran talking with the reporter of international group of Ana News Agency about the turkey’s attack to P.K.K in Dohuk Province of Kurdistan Region of Iraq by Turkish fighters’ army said: unfortunately it is true, and has caused to kill a number of this group. He continued: due to bombing the positions of P.K.K, Turkey has again made a gap in the process of cease-fire and reconciliation between this group and the government of this country. In my view this strike was great obstruction of peace negotiations. He added: I believe that turkey must not begin to strike P.K.K to solve its problem with this group since it leads no accomplishment but to aggravate the situation. Dabbagh said: as of a yet for a difference of opinion among Turkish authorities and P.K.K in the process of peace there has been disarray, now army attack and bombing the positions of this group by Turkey fighters will absolutely end the negotiations of peace and reconciliation. At the end he said of making call of some KRG authorities with Turkey about bombing P.K.K positions.

News Network of Rudaw, according to eyewitnesses, reported: following these severe bombing four numbers of P.K.K died and the residents of the region abandoned their homes and in a talk a source said PUK media that ten more members of this group injured. The media relating to this group announced that the Turkey army has begun to attack Zaab, Haftanin and Avashin and P.K.K has reacted these strikes.

This is while between Turkey and P.K.K during last two years there was cease-fire and peace negotiations, but P.K.K charged Turkey for dillydallying and killing time in negotiations and political exploitation of it, furthermore Turkish government charged this group to misuse the government operations of peace and started to strike P.K.K positions.   

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. 

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.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In a statement, the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers, strongly condemned the bombattack on the Kurdistan Region oil pipeline by the Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK, and considered it as an attack on the source of livelihood of the Kurdistan Region people.

Following is the text of the statement:

We condemn PKK’s attack on the source of living of the people of Kurdistan Region

The pipeline, which is used by the Kurdistan Region to export its oil, was bombed on 29 July 2015 in Sirnak province inside the Turkish border. PKK’s armed wing, People’s Protection Force, HPG, the following day officially claimed responsibility for the blast.

The Government and the people of Kurdistan Region currently pass through severe financial difficulties, due to withholding Kurdistan Region’s budget by the Federal Government of Iraq and the war against the Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS.

This oil pipeline constitutes the only principal source enabling the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, to pay people’s salary and helping the government and people of the Kurdistan Region to resist all the pressures and challenges the Region is currently facing. It is also the main source of funding Peshmerga Forces in the fight against ISIS, as well as the source of KRG assistance to more than 1.8 million refugees and internally displaced persons, who fled to the Kurdistan Region.

We strongly condemn this attack by the PKK, and consider it an irresponsible act against the people of the Kurdistan Region, the resistance of the Peshmerga forces and the refugees and displaced persons.

We consider that this attack has no other objective, except targeting and undermining Kurdistan Region’s economy and the living source of its citizens.

This is a condemnable act by the Kurdistan people and parties. We call on the PKK to stop the recurrence of such hostile acts against the people of Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Regional Government seeks to use the pipeline of the Iraqi Oil Marketing Company, SOMO, in order to be able to continue exporting its oil.

Presidency of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers
31 July 2015