Text of Statement by KRG Council of Ministers:

We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks in Brussels yesterday. We express our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and wish the injured complete recovery.

Here in Iraqi Kurdistan, we directly face ISIS terrorism.  We understand well the pain of the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people and Government of Belgium.

Such heinous crimes against innocent people demonstrate once again that terrorism can strike anywhere at anytime without warning. No people or place is invulnerable.

This is a message for all humanity, to the international community and the centers of power and decision-making, that we should not, and cannot, halt the pursuit and intensification of our efforts to combat terrorism.

Once again, we express our solidarity and sympathy with the Belgian people.

Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Regional Government
23 March 2016

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received Belgian Government Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders and his accompanying delegation.

Mr. Reynders introduced Belgium’s new Ambassador to Iraq, who will begin his duties in December.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Reynders indicated his country aims to implement several projects in the fields of energy and water in the Kurdistan Region as its Investment Law offers attractive assistance and incentives to foreign investors. 

Prime Minister Barzani highlighted the Region’s economic difficulties that emerged after Baghdad withheld Kurdistan Region’s budget since early 2014, leading to suspension of many public service projects. He stated, however, that private sector projects are maintaining momentum. Foreign investors and business owners are regaining confidence that the Region is secure and offers significant incentives and opportunities.

Regarding the situation of refugees and internally displaced persons, IDPs, Prime Minister Barzani pointed out that international assistance addresses only emergency needs while the KRG struggles to other essential needs. He noted that UN agencies have been unable to satisfactorily meet the requirements.

Prime Minister Barzani emphasised that Peshmerga forces are fighting a most barbaric terrorist organization on behalf of the entire world.

Regarding the relations between Erbil and Baghdad, Prime Minister Barzani said the current Iraq Government attitude towards the Kurdistan Region is the same as that of the former Iraqi cabinet.  It continues to withhold the Kurdistan Region’s budget that includes civil servant salaries.  It avoids including Kurdistan Region representatives in international conferences, held on the Iraq situation and the war against the Islamic State terrorist organization. He warned that this situation is not sustainable.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his wishes that Belgium’s new Ambassador to Iraq will be successful in his duty, reiterating his government’s full support and cooperation.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (DFR.KRG.org)–The Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, yesterday received Mr Georges Dallemagne, Member of the Belgian Parliament, and representatives of Chaldean and Syriac communities in Belgium.

Mr Dallemagne said that the purpose of the visit was to acquire up-to-date information regarding the needed humanitarian and security assistance for the Kurdistan Region in order to provide information and recommendation for the people and government of Belgium on how to best support the Kurdistan Region.

MrDallemagne said, “The Kurdistan Region has done an impressive job in sheltering IDPs and refugees and protecting and defending the civilians and ethnic and religious minority groups against the barbaric acts of Islamic State terrorists.”

“The government of Belgium has agreed to provide military assistance for Kurdistan and I will urge the government to translate its statement into concrete actions in the fastest possible manner,” he added.

Minister Mustafa thanked Mr Dallemagne for his expression of solidarity with the Kurdistan Region and briefed him on the humanitarian and security developments on the ground.

The representatives of the Chaldean and Syriac communities in Belgium praised the role of the Kurdistan Region in sheltering and defending members of religious minorities and noted the culture of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in the Kurdistan Region.

The Minister said, “We are proud to have developed a culture of democracy, peaceful coexistence, and religious tolerance here in Kurdistan. These values are deeply rooted in our culture and we are determined to preserve and defend such values.”

Bothe sides also touched upon the possibility of establishing channels of cooperation and communication between the Parliament of Belgium and the Parliament of Kurdistan.

 Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (DFR.krg.org) – Minister Falah Mustafa, Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, today welcomed the Ambassador of Belgium to Jordan, Mr. Thomas Baekelandt, upon his first visit to Kurdistan.

Ambassador Baekelandt said that Belgium is fully aware of the challenging humanitarian crisis facing internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees now sheltered in Kurdistan. He informed Minister Mustafa that Belgium is sending 13 tonnes of humanitarian aid to be distributed to IDPs and refugees in the Kurdistan Region.

The Ambassador noted that his country would continue to engage with Kurdistan, offering further support, after the formation of Belgium’s new government. He praised the role of the KRG and its Peshmerga forces in protecting civilians and members of religious minority groups from the terrorist militants.

Minister Mustafa thanked Ambassador Baekelandt for his visit to Kurdistan, expressing appreciation to the government and the people of Belgium for the provision of much-needed humanitarian assistance. He also pointed to the Peshmerga forces’ commitment to fight against the terrorists, a fight waged on behalf of the entire world in the name of tolerance, decency, and human rights for all civilians regardless of ethnicity or religion.

Brussels, Belgium (krg.org) – Minister Falah Mustafa, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, addressed a conference in the European Parliament on human rights in Kurdistan and Iraq during a two-day official visit to Brussels this week.

Minister Mustafa also met with members of the European Parliament,  government officials from the European Union and Belgium and visited both the Iraqi Embassy and Kurdistan Regional Government Representation to the EU. He was accompanied by the KRG Representative to the EU, Delavar Ajgeiy.

At the European Parliament, Minister Mustafa met separately with the Leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, MEP Hannes Swoboda. He aslo met MEP Charles Tannock who is the Conservative Foreign Affairs Spokesman in the European Parliament. In both meetings Minister Mustafa discussed a number of issues related to developments in Kurdistan, Iraq and the wider region. He also asked for their assistance in working towards recognition by the European Parliament of the crimes committed by the former regime against the Kurds as genocide.

Minister Mustafa also sought ways in which relations between the European Parliament and the Kurdistan Region can be strengthened. In his meeting with MEP Tannock, Minister Mustafa said, ‘We would like to see increased engagement from the European Parliament to help Iraq move in the right direction. We also hope that a friendship group focused on Kurdistan can be established inside the European Parliament.’ He reiterated the same message during his meeting with MEP Swoboda.

In his visit to the European Union offices, Minister Mustafa met with a group of officials from the European External Action Service headed by the Director for North Africa, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Iran and Iraq, Cristian Berger. During the meeting Minister Mustafa briefed the delegation on the significance of Iraq´s parliamentary elections, the current issues between Erbil and Baghdad, the Kurdistan Region´s relationship with Turkey and the need for the European Union to be engaged with Iraq.

Minister Mustafa also highlighted the importance of the EU having a representative office in Kurdistan, as well assistance from the EU to ensure that the Kurdistan Region is included and benefits from the cooperation agreements signed between Iraq and the EU. Mr Berger asked about the latest developments regarding Syria stressing that on a humanitarian level, this is the largest assistance operation the EU has ever been involved in.  Minister Mustafa highlighted the plight of the Syrian refugees in Kurdistan and asked for more humanitarian support for those refugees.

During the second day of the visit, Minister Mustafa attended a conference organised by the Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq, Struan Stevenson MEP, and participated in two separate panel discussions on human rights in Iraq as well as in Kurdistan.

During the conference, which was attended by various representatives from Iraq, the Head of the DFR presented a speech on the latest developments in Kurdistan as well as the KRG's vision for the future. In his speech, the Minister said, ‘We in Kurdistan are proud of our culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Respect for human rights is the guarantee for peaceful coexistence, progress and prosperity for people living together. This is what we have done in the Kurdistan Region.’

The KRG delegation also visited the Belgian Foreign Ministry where they met with the Head of the Iraq desk, Luc Truyens, and other officials, where they discussed a number of issues including the similar models of governance that exist in both Iraq and Belgium in terms of federalism and the devolution of powers from the centre to the provinces and regions. Minister Mustafa said, ‘We want to learn from other countries' experiences of federalism and especially Belgium, a country which like Iraq, is comprised of different ethnicities.’

Minister Mustafa also made a courtesy call on the Iraqi Embassy where he was received by Ambassador Mohammed Humaimidi. They discussed the latest political and security developments in Iraq, the talks between Baghdad and Erbil, and the upcoming Iraqi elections.

Minister Mustafa visited the KRG Representation in Belgium and was received by the KRG Representative, Delavar Ajgeiy, and met with all the employees at the Representation. Minister Mustafa thanked the KRG Representation team members for their hard work and efforts in conveying the KRG's policies to the European Union and expressed his hope that they would continue this work and aim to work towards strengthening relations with the European Union, the European Parliament and the Belgian government.