پەرلەمانی کوردستان
2020-04-21T05:11:59.000000Z
Erbil, Kurdistan Region, April 20, 2020
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani held a meeting on Monday with his Vice Presidents and a number of senior aides at the Kurdistan Presidency to discuss the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
The meeting focused on containment efforts of COVID-19 outbreak, the protective measures that were set by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and their impacts on people’s life and livelihood, the issue of deployment of troops in the Zini Warté area, the formation of the new Iraqi Cabinet and Kurdistan Region’s share of ministerial posts, the dangers of ISIS threats and the ways to confront them, particularly in the disputed territories.
After the meeting, President Nechirvan Barzani held a press conference and answered questions from journalists.
The president said:
“Today we had a meeting with Kurdistan Region Vice Presidents Sheikh Ja’afar Mustafa and Mr. Mustafa Said Qadir. In the meeting we discussed a number of issues related to the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the situation in the Region and its relations with Baghdad. First, I would like to congratulate the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for its efforts in containing the COVID-19 outbreak which is now a global pandemic. This is not a local outbreak in Kurdistan Region or Iraq, but as you have followed it up, it is a global pandemic and has spread throughout the world.”
He added:
“The Kurdistan Region Presidency has taken swift measures from the beginning of the crisis with the aim of protecting the citizens of the Kurdistan Region. For their efforts, on behalf of myself and the Vice Presidents, I congratulate the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministers of Health, Interior, Religious Affairs and all those who have done and continue to do their utmost in the fight against the virus. My fellow citizens in Kurdistan Region are also worthy of praise and gratitude as they followed and abided by the protective measures set by the KRG’s relevant authorities.”
Regarding COVID-19, the President elaborated:
“The KRG has taken the decision to prolong the protective measures until the end of this month after which the government will assess the situation on the ground and take decisions accordingly. I fully understand that the livelihoods and work of the people have been affected by the lockdown. I understand that many of our people need to work to support their families, yet the issue is bigger than this. At present, the KRG is prioritizing life over work. The world has witnessed that the KRG has performed very well in this crisis, not only on a regional level, but globally as well. The Kurdistan Region has outperformed expectations . . . I would like to assure everyone that the first priority is to protect the citizens of the Kurdistan Region. I hope no one was offended by the protective measures and no major inconveniences have occurred. The measures were taken for the safety and protection of all and will continue until further assessments take place . . . Once again I would like to express my appreciation to the Kurdistan Regional Government and all its relevant institutions for implementing the protective measures against COVOD-19.”
Regarding the Zini Warté standoff, the president said:
“As you are aware, a standoff took place in Zini Warté area. I want to assure you that it is not a serious issue and we have taken measures to resolve it. As we deal with the problem of countering COVID-19 and economic hardships, all political parties should preserve unity. I want to assure you that there are no major problems that we cannot solve. We are going to hold a meeting with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) politburo, which is a main partner in the KRG and discuss all the details regarding the deployment of forces to the Zini Warté area. These troops are under the command of the KRG Ministry of Peshmerga. No foreign troops have been deployed there. The recent deployment is temporary and whenever the need for their deployment ends, these troops will be withdrawn from there . . . The deployment has to do with the KRG protective measures to limit local travel due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Everything will go back to normal soon.”
President Nechirvan Barzani then spoke about the threats of ISIS and said:
“ISIS is a serious threat to the Kurdistan Region and to Iraq. We are monitoring and assessing the situation closely in Diyala, Mosul and Makhmour where ISIS attacks have increased. I tasked Vice President Sheikh Ja’afar to visit these areas and he did visit them. In today’s meeting we discussed this issue and talked about ways to counter the ISIS threat and will also discuss it with Baghdad and the Global Coalition to find a joint mechanism in confronting ISIS. This is one of the topics that the Kurdistan Region Presidency will talk to Baghdad about.”
Regarding the formation of the new Iraqi cabinet, President Nechirvan Barzani said:
“Following discussions with all Kurdistan Region’s political parties, the Kurdistan Region Presidency issued a statement in which it expressed support for Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to form a new government. Once again I would like to reiterate our support for Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and we hope that Kurdistan Region’s constitutional rights are granted and this is important for us. We have also decided to hold talks with Kurdistani blocs in the federal parliament in Baghdad who will be holding talks with Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi regarding Kurdistan Region’s demands. Once again, I hope all the people of Kurdistan stay safe and remain in good health. We will overcome this difficult time with the support and resilience of our fellow citizens . . . With God’s support and guidance, once again, we will see a prosperous Kurdistan.”
The President then answered questions asked by journalists:
Answering a question about the recent tension over the deployment of troops to Zini Warté the president said:
“Our duty at the Kurdistan Region Presidency, in this regard, was to hold talks with all the involved parties in order to deescalate the tensions. The standoff that took place in Zini Warté was exaggerated in social media. There was no need to create the tension. The KRG sent a force to the area as part of the protective measures to limit local travel due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Once the outbreak is controlled, this force will be redeployed and will not remain there. We held talks with all parties and I would like to assure the people of Kurdistan that this issue will not be escalated.”
Answering a question about Kurdistan Region’s support for Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to form the new cabinet in Iraq, the president said:
“The Shiite groups have unanimously agreed on nominating Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and we also know him very well”.
On the topic of the Kurdistan Region Presidency’s support to Rojava to help it contain COVID-19 pandemic, the president said:
“The support that we have sent to Rojava was a humanitarian assistance and had nothing to do with politics. They didn’t have any laboratory testing equipment to diagnose COVID-19. We also sent a medical team to train the medics there on how to use them. Taking into consideration that there are a number of refugee camps in Kurdistan Region, the health situation in Rojava will also have an impact on our Region.”
Regarding the capture of a Kurd in Libya who allegedly had links to the Peshmerga, the president said:
“The person who was captured in the Libya fighting has no connection whatsoever with the Kurdistan Peshmerga or the Roj army. The statements from the Roj army and the KRG have clarified that. This person had visited Kurdistan Region many years ago, but he later traveled to Turkey and apparently he joined those people from there. We reiterate, he has no connections to the Kurdistan Peshmerga and the war in Libya has nothing to do with the Kurdistan Region.”
Another question was asked about talks with Iraqi Prime Minister designate Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on oil, disputed territories and the threats of ISIS, the president said:
“Our talks with Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi are not only related to the Kurdistan Region but to all of Iraq. We want to see improvements in all the sectors of the country. ISIS is a serious threat to the security of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. But I would like to stress that Baghdad has not taken these threats seriously enough and does not have the required coordination with the Kurdistan Region to confront the issue of ISIS resurgence.”
Regarding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region, the president said:
“We have repeatedly said that the PKK must not interfere in the domestic affairs of the Kurdistan Region. We do not see its presence in Kurdistan Region as legitimate. They don’t belong here. We are part of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region will not allow any other force to create problems for our neighbors.”
The president answered a question about the issue of the drop in oil prices and its effect on the salaries of the Kurdistan Region civil servants, he answered:
“The issue of the drop in oil prices will affect not only the Kurdistan Region, but all the countries in the region as well. The Kurdistan Region will continue to discuss this issue with Baghdad. As we speak a KRG delegation is in Baghdad to discuss the economic fallout of the drop in oil prices and the burden it will create on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region . . . we are in the process of issuing a letter to the Iraqi Parliament and also to the Prime Minister designate in which we demand that all the people of Iraq should be financially assisted due to the COVID-19 outbreak . . . supporting those citizens who have been most affected by the lockdown and protective measures is the responsibility of the federal government. We will continue to talk with Baghdad on this.”
The president added:
“We believe it is very important that Iraq forms the new cabinet as soon as possible and then hold meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss and address the current financial issues facing the country. In 2019, Iraq needed about $40 billion to cover the salaries of its employees. This number has increased to $48 billion in 2020. Iraq’s income from oil sales now is about $2 billion per month and it actually needs about $4 billion per month to pay the salaries of its employees. So the country’s economy is in a very difficult situation. The new Iraqi government needs to discuss its economic issues with the international community as soon as possible.”
Regarding unity among all Kurdistani parties and groups, the president said:
“We can all agree on the importance of mutual trust and its positive impacts. The achievements we have gained since 2003 are the results of trust and genuine cooperation between the PUK and KDP with all other Iraqi political parties. The positive points in the Iraqi constitution and the defeat of ISIS are the result of unity and hard work regardless of political differences. As an example of unity, we supported Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to form the new government. Sometimes negative publications in social media create distrust among political parties, but with unity and understanding distrust can be prevented. We don’t have major issues among us and we can work together very well. All Kurdistani political parties and other components of Kurdistan Region (KDP, PUK, Goran Movement, Islamic Union, Christians and Turkomans) successfully work together in running our Region.”
The president also noted that policies should not be made as a result of reactions to views posted on social media, adding that the people of Kurdistan must not allow negative views to harm the harmony among the people of Kurdistan.
About the fate of Mustafa Salimi who was allegedly a political prisoner in Iran and then escaped to the Kurdistan Region, but was arrested in Penjwen area and handed back to Iran where he was allegedly executed, the President said:
“We are not sure about the credibility of this report and cannot confirm if this has occurred or not. The KRG has formed a committee to investigate this report and I believe that we should wait until the committee submits its findings. No one should accuse any one of anything before the committee announces the results of its findings.”
Answering another question about the share of Kurds in the cabinet of Prime Minister designate Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and the issues of Sinjar, Kirkuk and the disputed territories, the President said:
“A document containing the demands of the Kurdistan Region has been prepared here in the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdish blocs in the federal parliament have been working on it. This document has been prepared for negotiations with Baghdad and it contains all the issues that needs to be settled with Baghdad including the budget, oil, article 140 areas and Sinjar. As I heard from Mr. Al-Kadhimi the Ministries will remain as they currently are, but for the Ministers it is yet to be discussed”.
The president was asked about Kurdistan Region’s stance on the recent Turkish airstrikes in Zini Warté area and Makhmour refugee camp. He replied:
“The reason behind the Turkish airstrikes in Zini Warté area was because of the PKK’s deployment there, building military posts and refusal to withdraw. When the PKK does this, a reaction from Turkey is expected. Turkey has advanced technology and does not need information from local parties about PKK movements in the Region. Unfortunately, the PKK is disregarding the sovereignty of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Its presence here is unlawful. As to the Makhmour Camp it is under the control of the federal government not the Kurdistan Region. The PKK has used this camp for military purposes and we have informed them that it is a civilian camp and it must not be used for military training purposes. Baghdad has to play a role about the issue of this camp.”
At the end of the press conference the president said:
“I would like to assure the people of Kurdistan that our main priority is protecting them and improving their livelihood. I would like to thank the governorates of Halabja, Slemani, Erbil and Duhok and also the Garmian and Raparin administrations for their hard work and efforts in managing the COVID-19 crisis. I agree that the lockdown is uncomfortable for people but it is very important to be patient so that we overcome this difficult time.”
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani held a meeting on Monday with his Vice Presidents and a number of senior aides at the Kurdistan Presidency to discuss the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
The meeting focused on containment efforts of COVID-19 outbreak, the protective measures that were set by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and their impacts on people’s life and livelihood, the issue of deployment of troops in the Zini Warté area, the formation of the new Iraqi Cabinet and Kurdistan Region’s share of ministerial posts, the dangers of ISIS threats and the ways to confront them, particularly in the disputed territories.
After the meeting, President Nechirvan Barzani held a press conference and answered questions from journalists.
The president said:
“Today we had a meeting with Kurdistan Region Vice Presidents Sheikh Ja’afar Mustafa and Mr. Mustafa Said Qadir. In the meeting we discussed a number of issues related to the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the situation in the Region and its relations with Baghdad. First, I would like to congratulate the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for its efforts in containing the COVID-19 outbreak which is now a global pandemic. This is not a local outbreak in Kurdistan Region or Iraq, but as you have followed it up, it is a global pandemic and has spread throughout the world.”
He added:
“The Kurdistan Region Presidency has taken swift measures from the beginning of the crisis with the aim of protecting the citizens of the Kurdistan Region. For their efforts, on behalf of myself and the Vice Presidents, I congratulate the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministers of Health, Interior, Religious Affairs and all those who have done and continue to do their utmost in the fight against the virus. My fellow citizens in Kurdistan Region are also worthy of praise and gratitude as they followed and abided by the protective measures set by the KRG’s relevant authorities.”
Regarding COVID-19, the President elaborated:
“The KRG has taken the decision to prolong the protective measures until the end of this month after which the government will assess the situation on the ground and take decisions accordingly. I fully understand that the livelihoods and work of the people have been affected by the lockdown. I understand that many of our people need to work to support their families, yet the issue is bigger than this. At present, the KRG is prioritizing life over work. The world has witnessed that the KRG has performed very well in this crisis, not only on a regional level, but globally as well. The Kurdistan Region has outperformed expectations . . . I would like to assure everyone that the first priority is to protect the citizens of the Kurdistan Region. I hope no one was offended by the protective measures and no major inconveniences have occurred. The measures were taken for the safety and protection of all and will continue until further assessments take place . . . Once again I would like to express my appreciation to the Kurdistan Regional Government and all its relevant institutions for implementing the protective measures against COVOD-19.”
Regarding the Zini Warté standoff, the president said:
“As you are aware, a standoff took place in Zini Warté area. I want to assure you that it is not a serious issue and we have taken measures to resolve it. As we deal with the problem of countering COVID-19 and economic hardships, all political parties should preserve unity. I want to assure you that there are no major problems that we cannot solve. We are going to hold a meeting with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) politburo, which is a main partner in the KRG and discuss all the details regarding the deployment of forces to the Zini Warté area. These troops are under the command of the KRG Ministry of Peshmerga. No foreign troops have been deployed there. The recent deployment is temporary and whenever the need for their deployment ends, these troops will be withdrawn from there . . . The deployment has to do with the KRG protective measures to limit local travel due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Everything will go back to normal soon.”
President Nechirvan Barzani then spoke about the threats of ISIS and said:
“ISIS is a serious threat to the Kurdistan Region and to Iraq. We are monitoring and assessing the situation closely in Diyala, Mosul and Makhmour where ISIS attacks have increased. I tasked Vice President Sheikh Ja’afar to visit these areas and he did visit them. In today’s meeting we discussed this issue and talked about ways to counter the ISIS threat and will also discuss it with Baghdad and the Global Coalition to find a joint mechanism in confronting ISIS. This is one of the topics that the Kurdistan Region Presidency will talk to Baghdad about.”
Regarding the formation of the new Iraqi cabinet, President Nechirvan Barzani said:
“Following discussions with all Kurdistan Region’s political parties, the Kurdistan Region Presidency issued a statement in which it expressed support for Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to form a new government. Once again I would like to reiterate our support for Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and we hope that Kurdistan Region’s constitutional rights are granted and this is important for us. We have also decided to hold talks with Kurdistani blocs in the federal parliament in Baghdad who will be holding talks with Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi regarding Kurdistan Region’s demands. Once again, I hope all the people of Kurdistan stay safe and remain in good health. We will overcome this difficult time with the support and resilience of our fellow citizens . . . With God’s support and guidance, once again, we will see a prosperous Kurdistan.”
The President then answered questions asked by journalists:
Answering a question about the recent tension over the deployment of troops to Zini Warté the president said:
“Our duty at the Kurdistan Region Presidency, in this regard, was to hold talks with all the involved parties in order to deescalate the tensions. The standoff that took place in Zini Warté was exaggerated in social media. There was no need to create the tension. The KRG sent a force to the area as part of the protective measures to limit local travel due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Once the outbreak is controlled, this force will be redeployed and will not remain there. We held talks with all parties and I would like to assure the people of Kurdistan that this issue will not be escalated.”
Answering a question about Kurdistan Region’s support for Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to form the new cabinet in Iraq, the president said:
“The Shiite groups have unanimously agreed on nominating Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and we also know him very well”.
On the topic of the Kurdistan Region Presidency’s support to Rojava to help it contain COVID-19 pandemic, the president said:
“The support that we have sent to Rojava was a humanitarian assistance and had nothing to do with politics. They didn’t have any laboratory testing equipment to diagnose COVID-19. We also sent a medical team to train the medics there on how to use them. Taking into consideration that there are a number of refugee camps in Kurdistan Region, the health situation in Rojava will also have an impact on our Region.”
Regarding the capture of a Kurd in Libya who allegedly had links to the Peshmerga, the president said:
“The person who was captured in the Libya fighting has no connection whatsoever with the Kurdistan Peshmerga or the Roj army. The statements from the Roj army and the KRG have clarified that. This person had visited Kurdistan Region many years ago, but he later traveled to Turkey and apparently he joined those people from there. We reiterate, he has no connections to the Kurdistan Peshmerga and the war in Libya has nothing to do with the Kurdistan Region.”
Another question was asked about talks with Iraqi Prime Minister designate Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on oil, disputed territories and the threats of ISIS, the president said:
“Our talks with Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi are not only related to the Kurdistan Region but to all of Iraq. We want to see improvements in all the sectors of the country. ISIS is a serious threat to the security of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. But I would like to stress that Baghdad has not taken these threats seriously enough and does not have the required coordination with the Kurdistan Region to confront the issue of ISIS resurgence.”
Regarding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region, the president said:
“We have repeatedly said that the PKK must not interfere in the domestic affairs of the Kurdistan Region. We do not see its presence in Kurdistan Region as legitimate. They don’t belong here. We are part of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region will not allow any other force to create problems for our neighbors.”
The president answered a question about the issue of the drop in oil prices and its effect on the salaries of the Kurdistan Region civil servants, he answered:
“The issue of the drop in oil prices will affect not only the Kurdistan Region, but all the countries in the region as well. The Kurdistan Region will continue to discuss this issue with Baghdad. As we speak a KRG delegation is in Baghdad to discuss the economic fallout of the drop in oil prices and the burden it will create on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region . . . we are in the process of issuing a letter to the Iraqi Parliament and also to the Prime Minister designate in which we demand that all the people of Iraq should be financially assisted due to the COVID-19 outbreak . . . supporting those citizens who have been most affected by the lockdown and protective measures is the responsibility of the federal government. We will continue to talk with Baghdad on this.”
The president added:
“We believe it is very important that Iraq forms the new cabinet as soon as possible and then hold meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss and address the current financial issues facing the country. In 2019, Iraq needed about $40 billion to cover the salaries of its employees. This number has increased to $48 billion in 2020. Iraq’s income from oil sales now is about $2 billion per month and it actually needs about $4 billion per month to pay the salaries of its employees. So the country’s economy is in a very difficult situation. The new Iraqi government needs to discuss its economic issues with the international community as soon as possible.”
Regarding unity among all Kurdistani parties and groups, the president said:
“We can all agree on the importance of mutual trust and its positive impacts. The achievements we have gained since 2003 are the results of trust and genuine cooperation between the PUK and KDP with all other Iraqi political parties. The positive points in the Iraqi constitution and the defeat of ISIS are the result of unity and hard work regardless of political differences. As an example of unity, we supported Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to form the new government. Sometimes negative publications in social media create distrust among political parties, but with unity and understanding distrust can be prevented. We don’t have major issues among us and we can work together very well. All Kurdistani political parties and other components of Kurdistan Region (KDP, PUK, Goran Movement, Islamic Union, Christians and Turkomans) successfully work together in running our Region.”
The president also noted that policies should not be made as a result of reactions to views posted on social media, adding that the people of Kurdistan must not allow negative views to harm the harmony among the people of Kurdistan.
About the fate of Mustafa Salimi who was allegedly a political prisoner in Iran and then escaped to the Kurdistan Region, but was arrested in Penjwen area and handed back to Iran where he was allegedly executed, the President said:
“We are not sure about the credibility of this report and cannot confirm if this has occurred or not. The KRG has formed a committee to investigate this report and I believe that we should wait until the committee submits its findings. No one should accuse any one of anything before the committee announces the results of its findings.”
Answering another question about the share of Kurds in the cabinet of Prime Minister designate Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and the issues of Sinjar, Kirkuk and the disputed territories, the President said:
“A document containing the demands of the Kurdistan Region has been prepared here in the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdish blocs in the federal parliament have been working on it. This document has been prepared for negotiations with Baghdad and it contains all the issues that needs to be settled with Baghdad including the budget, oil, article 140 areas and Sinjar. As I heard from Mr. Al-Kadhimi the Ministries will remain as they currently are, but for the Ministers it is yet to be discussed”.
The president was asked about Kurdistan Region’s stance on the recent Turkish airstrikes in Zini Warté area and Makhmour refugee camp. He replied:
“The reason behind the Turkish airstrikes in Zini Warté area was because of the PKK’s deployment there, building military posts and refusal to withdraw. When the PKK does this, a reaction from Turkey is expected. Turkey has advanced technology and does not need information from local parties about PKK movements in the Region. Unfortunately, the PKK is disregarding the sovereignty of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Its presence here is unlawful. As to the Makhmour Camp it is under the control of the federal government not the Kurdistan Region. The PKK has used this camp for military purposes and we have informed them that it is a civilian camp and it must not be used for military training purposes. Baghdad has to play a role about the issue of this camp.”
At the end of the press conference the president said:
“I would like to assure the people of Kurdistan that our main priority is protecting them and improving their livelihood. I would like to thank the governorates of Halabja, Slemani, Erbil and Duhok and also the Garmian and Raparin administrations for their hard work and efforts in managing the COVID-19 crisis. I agree that the lockdown is uncomfortable for people but it is very important to be patient so that we overcome this difficult time.”
