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President Barzani Meets UK's Secretary of State for Defense

Salahadin, Kurdi-stan Region of Iraq, President Masoud Barzani received a military delegation from the United Kingdom headed by Mr. Michael Fallon, the Secretary of State for Defense. During the meeting President Barzani and Secretary Fallon spoke of the latest military and security

developments in the Kurdistan Region and their impact on the larger Middle East region and the world. President Barzani expressed his gratitude to the government of the United Kingdom for their supportive stances both generally and following the ISIS crisis particularly, add-ing that the Kurdistan Region is in need of all international support as it fights the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Secretary Fallon stated that the government of the United Kingdom will continue to assist the Kurdistan Region with military aid as it fights ISIS and that the war against ISIS is indeed a larger idealogical conflict between the free world and radicalism. President Barzani and Secretary Fallon also spoke of the latest politi-cal developments between the the Federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region and how all outstanding issues must be re-solved as soon as possible.

“Secretary Fallon stated

that the government of the United Kingdom will

continue to assist the Kurdistan Region with

military aid as it fights ISIS and that the war against ISIS is indeed a larger

idealogical conflict between the free world

and radicalism.”

President Masoud Barzani received Mr. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defense

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President Barzani Welcomes UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani welcomed UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Monday. In a meeting in the President’s office in Salahaddin, the President and the UK Foreign Secretary discussed the fight against ISIS terrorists, recent advances by the Peshmerga forces, and the political process in Baghdad. President Barzani thanked the UK and other coalition countries for their support to the Peshmerga forces and noted the recent gains by the Peshmerga forces against the terrorists. Foreign Secretary Hammond commended the role of Kurdistan and the Peshmerga forces in the fight against the ISIS terrorists and recognized that the Kurdistan Region bears the lion’s share of this fight. Both agreed that to defeat ISIS terrorists, in addition to joint military, political, and economic effort, there is also a need to confront their twisted ideology. On the political process in Iraq, President Barzani stated that the Kurds have decided to support the new Iraqi prime minister. President Barzani and Secretary Kerry emphasized on the need for political solutions prior to military solutions.

"President Barzani thanked the UK and

other coalition countries for their support to the Peshmerga forces and noted the recent gains

by the Peshmerga forces against the terrorists."

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President Barzani Meets Turkey’s Leaders

Ankara, Turkey, - President Barzani and a senior Kurdistan Re-gional Government delegation was welcomed by Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul in Ankara in 14th July 2014. President Barzani and Turkey’s leaders discussed the latest security and political developments in Iraq, particularly the situation in Mo-sul following the ISIS seizure last June. President Barzani reiterated his stance of attempting to change the status quo in Iraq and defending the Kurdistan Region from any threats by ISIS and their affiliates. During the meeting President Barzani also expressed his gratitude for Turkey’s con-tinued support and hoped for even more enhanced bilateral rela-tions between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey. Prime Minister Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul expressed their support for the Kurdistan Region and the positions of

President Barzani on the security matters in Iraq, adding that there must be an end to the current crisis in Iraq as soon as possible.

Barzani to Iran: We won’t stay in Iraq’s line of fire Kurdo Shaban BasNews, Erbil

Kurdish President Masoud Barzani told Secretary Assistant to Iran’s National Security Dr. Raza Amir: “Six months before the Is-lamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) controlled Mosul we had already warned Baghdad.”

On Tuesday Barzani met Dr. Amir in Erbil and they discussed the cur-rent situation in Iraq and political process as well as the formation of the new government in Baghdad.

Dr. Amir talked about the role of Barzani and the Kurdistan Region in Iraq and expressed hoped that soon the problems in Iraq would be solved and come to an end.

In the meeting, Barzani pointed out that Kurdistan Region is a peaceful place for all peoples and religions and attributed Baghdad’s authoritarian policies to the recent developments in Iraq.

Barzani also stressed that Kurdistan could not remain in the line of fire of Iraq’s sectarian violence and they would not put up with bad administration, violation of the constitution and authoritarian rule of Baghdad.

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President Barzani asks Parliament to begin work on referendum Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Kurdi-stan Region President Masoud Barzani visited the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament yesterday, requesting the Parliament to immediately undertake the task of creating an independent electoral commission for the Region, and to begin preparations for holding a referendum for the people of Kurdistan to decide their future. In his remarks to the Parliament, the President urged Members of Parliament to “promptly create an independent electoral commission and to begin preparations for holding a referendum to determine the future, as this would strengthen our hand. The time has come for us to determine our future; we should no longer wait for oth-ers to determine our future. In the mean-time, we will do whatever we can to help Shia and Sunnis to save the country from this crisis.”

The President stated that the wrong policies of the Iraqi government and the collapse of the Iraqi Army have caused the current security crisis in the governorates of Anbar, Ninewa, Salahaddin, and Diyala. He said that four days prior to the events in Mosul the KRG offered to cooperate with Baghdad to confront the terrorist groups, but this was rejected by Baghdad. Regarding the deployment of Peshmerga forces to the disputed areas, the President said that all of these areas are now under the control of Peshmerga forces. He added, “The Peshmerga forces are there to protect the people of those areas and they will not be pres-

sured into withdrawing. We will protect these areas and we are also ready to help both Shia and Sunnis to save them from this crisis, but this can only be achieved with new people who believe in co-existence, democracy, and the Constitution. This cannot be done with people who have destroyed the country.”

Iraqi Kurds seek independence but with voice in Baghdad Top Kurdish officials walked a rhetorical tightrope Wednesday, telling a Washington audience that they are pushing for an inde-pendent state while not closing off ties with the embattled central government in Baghdad, as Iraq's prime minister warned that al Qaeda-inspired militants posed a threat to every country in the region. Three days after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant formally declared an Islamic state spanning the border between Syria and Iraq, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned that no "neighboring country will be safe" if the group isn't stopped. Amid increasing signs that Iraq is splitting into three autonomous sections, Mr. al-Maliki pleaded Wednesday with the nation's Sunni tribal leaders, many of whom have aligned with ISIL during recent weeks, to "return to their senses" and join his attempt to create a more inclusive government in Baghdad. His calls offered a stark contrast to the remarks by two senior Kurdish officials who traveled to Washington, claiming that the leadership of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government remains committed to the attempts to form a new govern-ment in the Iraqi capital but is aware of realities on the ground. Fuad Hussein, chief of staff to Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani, stressed that Iraq already has become divided into "three states with three different systems" as a result of the violent surge by Sunni extremists over the past three weeks. "You have got a government in Baghdad, which is not functioning, you have got an Islamic state, which is against Kurdistan and against Baghdad — and you have got Kurdistan," said Mr. Hussein, who appeared with Falah Mustafa Bakir, head of the Kurdi-stan Regional Government's department of foreign relations. Speaking before an audience at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Mr. Hussein said 80 percent of the Iraqi military had collapsed in recent weeks.

He stressed that the Peshmerga militia will defend Kurdish areas from attempted incursions by Islamic state extremists. Mr. Hussein and Mr. Bakir said Kurdish leaders plan "to follow two paths."

“The Peshmerga forces are there to protect the people of those areas and they will not be pressured into withdraw-ing. We will protect these ar-eas and we are also ready to help both Shia and Sunnis to

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"One path [is] helping the government to be established in Baghdad; the other path is to establish ourself, to have an independent economic life, to strengthen our forces, Peshmerga forces, to protect our area, to protect our people ," said Mr. Hussein. "We hope that people here in Washington understand that these two paths are not contradicting each other."

Forming a government The Iraqi parliament met Tuesday for the first time since April elections, but hopes to form a new government faded when Sunni and Kurdish political representatives walked out after less than two hours. Mr. al-Maliki, whose Shiite political allies won the most seats in the elections, expressed hope for a quick resolution when par-liament meets again next week. However, the embattled prime minister, who has held the post since 2006, is being pressed to step aside. Many observers in the West, including officials from the Obama administration, argue that his Shiite-dominated government has stoked the Sunni extremist insurgency gripping Iraq. Sunnis and Kurds accuse Mr. al-Maliki of attempting to monopolize power and demand that he be replaced. Although Mr. al-Maliki has shown no willingness to bow out, there has been significant political jockeying for a potential replacement. One name that has surfaced repeatedly in recent days is Ahmad Chalabi, who led the lobbying for the 2003 U.S. military invasion of Iraq and who was an early favorite of President George W. Bush to succeed the ousted Saddam Hussein. Mr. Chalabi fell out of favor in Washington when it was found that he fed U.S. officials faulty intelligence about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs, but his Iraqi National Congress party has remained a factor in Iraqi politics. Although the party now holds just one seat in Iraq's parliament, news reports say Mr. Chalabi, a self-proclaimed secular Shiite, is a potential player whom Iraqi Sunnis, Kurds and Shiites might agree on to replace Mr. al-Maliki.

U.S. Efforts In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday that the initial failure of Iraq's parliament to choose new leaders this week was "an indica-tion that that process is not off to a good start." Mr. Earnest said the Obama administration is holding out hope for the quick forma-tion of a new government that can tackle the rising threat posed by the Sunni ex-tremists. He also said Vice President Joseph R. Biden had phoned Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni who previously served as the speaker of Iraq's parliament. Mr. Biden is "talking to people who might have some influence over the ability of Iraq's political leaders to come together and make the formation of an inclusive government a priority," Mr. Earnest said. President Obama, meanwhile, called King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to discuss the Iraq crisis. Mr. Obama also thanked the king for Saudi Arabia's pledge of $500 million in aid to Iraqis who have been displaced by the violence. Tens of thousands have sought refuge in the relative calm of Kurdistan in northern Iraq, according to the Kurdish envoys. Kurdistan fought for autonomy from Baghdad when Saddam was in power, but territorial boundaries remain uncertain. Kurdish minorities can be found in Turkey, Syria and Iran, all of which have aggressively opposed the idea of an independent Kurdish state. "At the end of the day, even if we go down the road to independence, we want international recognition," Mr. Bakir said. "We do understand that without the support of the neighboring countries, or at least some of them, without the support of some of the main powers in the world, the United States included, we cannot have it survive," Mr. Bakir said. By Guy Taylor-The Washington Times

Mr. Hussein and Mr. Bakir said Kurdish leaders plan "to follow

two paths." "One path [is] helping the gov-ernment to be established in

Baghdad; the other path is to es-tablish ourself, to have an inde-

pendent economic life, to strengthen our forces, Pesh-

merga forces, to protect our area, to protect our people ," said Mr. Hussein. "We hope that people here in Washington understand

that these two paths are not con-tradicting each other."

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UK Foreign Secretary meets Prime Minister Barzani in first visit to Kurdistan Erbil, Kurdistan – UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and his accompanying delegation paid a visit to Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani last week dur-ing his first official visit to Kurdistan. Secretary Hague conveyed his country’s eagerness to continue strengthening ties with the Kurdistan Region and the importance of ensuring a long-term, strategic relationship. Both sides stressed the importance of improving bilateral relations between Erbil and Lon-don in various fields. Prime Minister Barzani and a high-level delegation visited London in May. The officials discussed the latest security and military developments in Iraq after the seizure of Mosul by terrorists earlier this month. They also discussed ef-forts made to address the problems in Iraq, stressing the need for a new political process that includes all of the different political forces in genuine partner-ship. Prime Minister Barzani explained that the developments have completely changed the situation in Iraq, and any solution to solve the problems must be based on the new reality. He emphasised that the problems are political in nature, and therefore effective solutions must be primarily political, as military and armed struggle will not resolve underlying causes. In a joint press conference with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, Secretary Hague said, "Kurdish security forces are playing an important role in holding ISIL back, and have already made many sacrifices in this vital struggle. We stand with you in rejecting the vile crimes of terrorists." Secretary Hague was accompanied by the British Ambassador to Iraq, Simon Collis, the British Consul General in Kurdistan, Hugh Evans, and a number of officials from his Foreign Office.

Prime Minister Barzani: Future relations between Erbil and Baghdad require a new mechanism Erbil, Kurdistan (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yester-day received the United Kingdom’s new Consul General to the Kurdi-stan Region, Mr. Angus McKee. They discussed the relationship be-tween the United Kingdom and the KRG as well as current political is-sues. The Prime Minister congratulated the Consul General and wished him success in his new position. Consul General McKee expressed his pleas-ure in taking up his post in Kurdistan. United Kingdom – Kurdistan Region relations The Consul General discussed the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the United Kingdom, explaining that Prime Minister Bar-zani’s visit to London and British Foreign Secretary William Hague’s visit to Erbil will help solidify strong, mutually beneficial ties, including between the two governments and among private companies, universities, and citizens. Mr. McKee indicated that the Prime Minister’s visit to London would serve as a catalyst to foster stronger relations, expressing hope that both sides remain dedicated to the development of the relationship. He assured the Prime Minister that the United Kingdom is committed to the agreements made during that visit. Prime Minister Barzani highlighted the Kurdistan Region’s strategic relationship with the United Kingdom, also pointing to the importance of the exchange of high-level visits. He reaffirmed that the KRG attaches special consideration to its ties with the United Kingdom and remains committed to developing and bolstering relations. Political issues The new Consul General applauded the broad-based character of the KRG’s eighth cabinet, evidence that the Kurdistan Region is heading in the right direction. During the meeting both sides pointed to the latest developments in Iraq, including the political process. Prime Minister Barzani emphasised that everything has changed in the last several weeks, and in light of these develop-ments, relations between Erbil and Baghdad must be viewed in a different manner. He explained that the KRG supports the po-litical process in Iraq, which needs to progress so that a framework for coexistence and a mechanism to define future relations between Erbil and Baghdad can be established. The Prime Minister added that the threat of terrorism presents a grave danger to all sides. He stated that Iraq is today witnessing the beginning of a new phase and that the nature of the issues at stake has changed. This must be taken into account when con-sidering the current situation. Both sides discussed the situation of the internally displaced people who have fled Mosul and other parts of Iraq to seek safe haven in Kurdistan. The Consul General reaffirmed that his country has in the past provided assistance to refugees and internally displaced and would continue to cooperate in order to help the displaced people through logistical assistance and through the transfer of expertise and experience in coping with the crisis.

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Barzani: Iraq can learn from Kurdistan model Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani has an-nounced that Iraq is going through a political and secu-rity crisis that threatens the country’s path to democ-racy. He believes that the Iraqi Government can learn from Kurdistan’s model to foster strong relations with its neighbors. In an interview with pan-Arab London-based news-paper Asharq Al-Awsat, Barzani revealed the chal-lenges currently facing the Iraqi political process: “Today Iraq faces a security and political crisis which has affected the democratization of the country, which everyone has struggled to achieve.” Regarding the current tensions between the govern-ment in Baghdad and its neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia, Barzani said, “I’m quite surprised at the accu-sation of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki that Saudi Arabia supports terrorism.” He stated that Iraq should have strong relations with Riyadh instead of each accusing the other of supporting terror-ists. “There is a very good opportunity facing Iraq to have strong relations with neighboring states, especially Saudi Ara-bia,” said Barzani. Recently Al-Maliki accused Riyadh of aiding terrorist groups inside Iraq and Syria.

Declaration of the joint meeting of representatives of Kurdistan in the Iraqi federal government and representatives of all Kurdish parties in Kurdistan's parliament Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq – Representatives of Kurdistan in the Iraqi Parliament and the Iraqi Federal Government, and representatives of po-litical factions of the Kurdistan Region Parlia-ment and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held a comprehensive meeting at the KRG Council of Ministers to agree upon a com-mon stance in response to the economic sanc-tions leveraged by the Iraqi Federal Government against the people and the government of the Kurdistan Region. Several viewpoints were exchanged regarding recent developments throughout the course of the meeting. A four-point declaration was unanimously adopted outlining the Kurdistan Region’s position: 1. Iraqi Kurdistan is part of Iraq according to the Constitution and is therefore entitled to all rights and authorities granted to it as stipulated by the Constitution. This includes its share of the budget derived from the national income. The central government cannot cut salaries under any pretext to use as leverage against the KRG. 2. Although the KRG has other options at its disposal to provide salaries and meet other needs of its people, negotia-tions should continue between the Iraqi Federal Government and the KRG based on the fulfillment of the Kurdistan Region’s constitutional rights. 3. We call upon the Iraqi Prime Minister to rescind this illegal and unconstitutional policy. The Kurdistan Region’s share of the budget and salaries is a constitutional right and should be disbursed. Pending issues with the KRG should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. 4. We call upon respected religious authorities, the United Nations, governments of countries with relations with Iraq, member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and member states of the Arab League to take responsibility by using their influence to end the policy of economic sanctions levied against the people and the gov-ernment of the Kurdistan Region. This policy is unjustified in its entirety, blatantly violates constitutional law, and stands against international accords and the basic principles of human rights.

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Kirkuki in Washington for talks on Kurdistan In a meeting at Washington D.C’s State Department, Dr Kamal Kirkuki Member of the political Bureau head of Kurdi-stan Democratic Party’s Relations held talks and exchanged views on the current political situation in the Kurdistan Region with Mr. Anthony Kodfri, director of Iraq’s office at USA State Department During the meeting, they exchanged views and extensively on the issue of the inclusion of both the Kurdistan Democ-ratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, in the Tier III, devoted to the issue of the meeting completed the search in a positive way Dr Kirkuk and Mr Kodfri touched on the issues with the Iraqi government, the pro-ceeding formation of a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Halabja that has recently become a province after legislative decisions of Parliament. Dr Kirkuki explained the Parliament of Kurdistan was launched in 1999, which included the conversion of three cities in addition to Halabja, new provinces, and citied the Iraqi Constitution paragraph of Article 141 which provides recognition and recommence work with all laws, regulations and actions taken by the Par-liament and the Government of Kurdistan since 1992; thus converting Halabja to a province is legally and constitutionally resolved by Parliament of Kurdistan and in accordance with Iraq's federal constitution. At a later stage, Dr Kirkuki focused on upcoming elections scheduled for April 30, 2014, the issue of Syr-ian refugees, as well as the growing Iraqis of various religions and ethnicities seeking refuge in Kurdistan. On the predicaments of the Iraqi government not allocating budget re-sources for civil servants in Kurdistan, Mr. Kodfri said the United States understands the distress of the Kurdish people and that budget and staff salaries must act intuitively within the framework of negotia-tions. At the end of the meeting, Dr Kirkuki stated the aspirations and objec-tives of the Kurdish leadership focused on the Kurdish people where it aims for its citizens to coexist in peace, security and stability. . It also discussed the situation in Kurdistan, and the future of relations with the Government in Baghdad, the Government formation process in Kurdistan, in addition to the legal steps taken by the Parliament of Kurdistan to convert a new County in Halabja, Kurdistan. He was refer-ring to elections scheduled for April 30, 2014, and the issue of Syrian refugees, as well as the growing Iraqi refugee in Kurdistan and of vari-ous components and religions

“Iraqi Constitution paragraph of Article 141 which provides recogni-tion and recommence

work with all laws, regu-lations and actions taken

by the Parliament and the Government of

Kurdistan since 1992; thus converting Halabja to a province is legally and constitutionally re-solved by Parliament of Kurdistan and in accor-dance with Iraq's federal

constitution.”

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British Parliamentary delegation invites KDP foreign relations office to inter-national conference on Kurds in Britain

Hemin Hawrami, head of Kurdistan Democratic Party’s foreign relations office, received a delegation from United Kingdom’s ‘All-Party Parliamentary Group’, which was headed by Lord Glasman, Emma Grubb and Gary Kent. Mr Hawrami raised the current political developments in Kurdistan and highlighted efforts in forming the next regional government. Members of the foreign relations office were in attendance at the meeting where the British delegation ex-pressed their delight in visiting Kurdistan, praised the cooperation and stability of the region. The Syrian refugees in Kurdistan were another topic of their discussions. The APPG formally invited the KDP’s foreign relations office to attend an international conference on the Kurds in Britain that was accepted with appreciation by Mr Hawrami, who assured of his participation. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Kurdistan’s remit is “to promote friendship and understanding between the people of the Kurdi-stan Region in Iraq and Great Britain and to encourage the development of democratic institutions in the Kurdistan Region as part of the democ-ratic and federal process in the rest of Iraq.” APPGs are made up of at least 20 members from different parties and there are hundreds covering most countries and a bewildering range of subjects from Accident Prevention to the Film Industry, Football to Po-licing, Whisky and Smoking and Health. The APPG on Kurdistan meets regularly in the UK Parliament and hears from a range of groups. They work closely with the UK High Represen-tation of the Kurdistan Regional Government and link with the wider Kurdish Diaspora in the UK.

APPG) on Kurdistan’s remit is “to promote

friendship and under-standing between the

people of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq and Great Britain and to encourage the development of de-mocratic institutions in

the Kurdistan Region as part of the democratic and federal process in

the rest of Iraq.”

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Arab Nobel Prize winner hopes Kurds gain full rights

2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkol Karman has wished Kurdistan a happy Newroz and hopes that the Kurdish people will soon gain full political and social rights. Karman is a Yemeni journalist, politician and senior member of al-Islah political party, as well as a human rights activist. She leads the group ’Women Journalists without Chains,’ which she co-founded in 2005. She is a co-recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first Yemeni, the first Arab woman, and the second Muslim woman to win a Nobel Prize and the youngest Nobel Peace Laureate to date. Ahmed Zaweti, head of Al-Jazeera’s office in Erbil and a close friend of Karman told BasNews that the Noble Peace Prize winner has always been a great supporter of the Kurdish cause and has always followed the political and social developments of the region. “I’ve known her for 15 years and she has always asked me for news about Kurdistan and wishes Kurds to achieve all their political and social rights, including independence. She has often planned to come to Kurdistan, but she has not been able to yet,” said Zaweti. Zaweti spoke of a Saqifa conference they both attended, during which the future of the Kurdistan Region and Kurdish rights were discussed and voted upon; out of the 1,500 participants 56% voted in favor of full rights and independence for Kurds.

British MP recalls chemical attack on Halabja London, UK - British member of parliament Robert Halfon has tabled a motion marking the 26th anniver-sary of the chemical attack on Halabja and calling on the British government to formally recognise the act as part of a wider genocide against the Kurds. Mr Halfon, who is vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Kurdistan Region, has vis-ited Halabja and other parts of Kurdistan several times. He and fellow MPs in the group have actively cam-paigned with the Kurdistan Regional Government UK Representation and the Kurdish diaspora to raise awareness of the genocide.

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Mr Halfon's motion is not binding on the British parliament but by tabling it he expresses his view as an MP. Fellow MPs may also sign it as a show of support. The motion says, That this House recalls with repugnance the biggest single chemical weapons attack on civilians which was inflicted by the forces of Saddam Hussein on the town of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan on 16 March 1988; fur-ther recalls that 5,000 men, women and children died immediately and many more thousands of people died later or were per-manently injured, physically and psycho-logically; believes that this attack was part of a long-running policy of genocide against the Kurds of Iraq; and further be-lieves that, in the absence of any likely national or international judicial process after so many years, the Government should follow the example of the House which, on 28 February 2013, formally recognised this action as genocide. The motion can be seen on the UK parliament website – Early Day Motion 1175, ‘1988 Chemical Weapon Attack in Halabja’: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/1175

FAC launches inquiry into UK Government policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq The Committee is launching an inquiry into the UK Govern-ment’s policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the wider Iraqi and regional context. Inquiry: UK Government policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Foreign Affairs Committee It would welcome submissions of evidence which address in particular: The implications for UK foreign policy of the existence of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the develop-ment of its relations with the rest of Iraq and with neighbouring countries The role of the UK Government in facilitating the development of a relationship between the Kurdistan Re-gion and the rest of Iraq which helps to realise the economic potential of both and to strengthen security and democratic government in Iraq and the wider region The UK Government's approach to trade and investment with, in and from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the priorities that should be pursued there by the Prime Minister’s new Trade Envoy to Iraq, Lady Nicholson of Winterbourne The financial and other assistance being offered in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq by the Foreign and Com-monwealth Office and associated public bodies (including the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the British Council) to support the further development of parliamentary and governance capacity, democ-ratic institutions (including a free media), civil society and the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, and to promote cultural and educational links with the UK How the FCO is organising its presence and resources in Iraq, in the light of the developing relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the rest of the country. Call for evidence: Interested groups or individuals are encouraged to send written submissions, which should be received by the Committee no later than Friday 28 March 2014.

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Abdullah Gul: We Made Mistakes Against the Kurds By Deniz Serinci COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Speaking Kurdish and any expression of Kurdish culture was completely banned in Tur-key until 1991. Now, Turkish President Abdullah Gul is distancing himself from his country’s past Kurdish policy. "I'm brave enough to admit past mis-takes," Gul told the Danish newspaper Politiken on Saturday. In addition, the Turkish president pre-dicts that, if the state gives the Kurds "democratic rights," there will be no reason for guerrillas of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to "fight any-more". "The Kurdish question is about the democratic level. If you raise it, then the problems will fix themselves. If you take away all the reasons to fight, it is clear that the people will be with you," he told Politiken. In the interview, Gul stressed the "very good relations with" the Iraqi Kurds. "The Kurds are our relatives and they are not much different from us. We have no allergy to the Kurds. Today, the Kurdish region is developed by Turkish experts and engineers. If you go there, you will be im-pressed by how active Turks in Erbil and Sulaimani and other Kurdish areas of Iraq are." Many journalists, especially from the pro-Kurdish media, have been arrested in Turkey. The Turkish presi-dent admits problems with the press, while stressing that the press must be “free.” “Everyone in this country is free to write and publish, criticize or write their opinions freely. Even those with the toughest positions can freely publish and express their opinions." Recently, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to ban Facebook and YouTube, something that Gul had rejected. "It is technically impossible, and it is completely excluded. You cannot take a decision to shut down Face-book, YouTube or other channels," he told Politiken. According to Daniella Kuzmanovic, associate professor and Turkey expert at University of Copenhagen, Gul’s statements represent a break with Turkey's official position, held until the 1990s, that the Kurdish problem was not caused by democratic problems, but socio-economic factors. "Before, Turkish politicians used to say that the problem would be solved by improving the economy. Now, Gul is emphasizing that the Kurdish issue is solved with more democracy,” she told Rudaw. According to Sardar Sharif, a PhD researcher in international relations at the University of Dohuk, Gul's statements must be understood in light of the forthcoming local elections in Turkey on March 30. “Kurdish areas are on AKP (the ruling Justice and Development Party) focus, and Gul’s political statement at this time appears more as a political maneuver to capture Kurdish voters.

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Another issue is that AKP also now uses its political relations with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in these elections, which is quite understandable,” he said. In Turkey, the presidency is largely a ceremonial office. Yet, Gul’s state-ments are important, according to Kuzmanovic and Sharif. "When Gul admits making mistakes against the Kurds, it is important be-cause the head of state is of great importance to Turkey's international im-age. It is politically courageous and shows that you take a step forward to do better," Sharif said. Kuzmanovic said that Gul has often disagreed with Prime Minister Er-dogan, for example on banning social media. Turkish media have been speculating over Gul's political ambitions, with some suggesting he could become prime minister, as he was briefly in 2002. "Gul’s opinions are important. The president of Turkey can veto a law and send them back to parliament for further work. And then, Gul is co-founder of the ruling Justice and Development Party, and is likely a political challenge to Prime Minister Erdogan."

"When Gul admits making mistakes

against the Kurds, it is important because the

head of state is of great importance to

Turkey's international image. It is politically

courageous and shows that you take a step forward to do bet-

ter," Sharif said.

Open the door to the Kurds

By Editorial Board, AS BLOODSHED in Iraq and Syria has steadily escalated, the importance to the United States of one re-gional ally has been growing. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq, which controls an autonomous enclave bordering Iran, Turkey and Syria, is democratic, secular, pro-Western and a deter-mined enemy of the al-Qaeda forces that operate on both sides of the Iraq-Syrian border. It wasn’t surpris-ing that KRG President Massoud Barzani was booked for a visit to Washington and a likely meeting with President Obama last month. By the same token, his abrupt decision to postpone the trip is cause for concern.

Mr. Barzani stayed home because the Obama administration and Congress have failed to fix an enduring irritant in the U.S.-Kurdish relationship: the presence of the region’s two leading political parties on a U.S. list of sanctioned organizations. Both Mr. Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party and the rival Patriotic Un-ion of Kurdistan were added after 2001 to a “Tier 3” group of organizations deemed to have provided ma-terial support to terrorism under the Patriot Act. The reason: Both parties supported the resistance to the regime of Saddam Hussein before the 2002 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

This absurd anomaly is the result of overly broad Patriot Act language matched with excessively cautious U.S. government lawyers. The two political parties aren’t the only victims. Many people who have inad-vertently done business with terrorists or al-Qaeda-linked groups around the world, or who fought against repressive regimes, have unjustly been swept onto the Tier 3 list. The designation is more than symbolic, since those named cannot obtain visas to enter the United States without a waiver. That includes Mr. Barzani and virtually every other senior official in a territory of 3.7 million people.

U.S. administrations have promised the Kurds relief from the sanctions for years, but have failed to deliver. The Obama administration contends that a legislative fix is needed and proposes language specifically ex-empting the Kurdish parties from the Patriot Act provisions. That solution has encountered resistance in the Senate Judiciary committee, where some are pressing for a more general repair of the Patriot Act language rather than a case-by-case approach. The Kurds and their Washington lobbyists argue, in turn, that Con-gress and its chronic gridlock could be bypassed with a simple executive branch decision.

What’s clear is that the impasse is damaging an important U.S. relationship at a critical moment — and that the fault lies entirely in Washington. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has led efforts in the Senate to end the sanctions on the Kurds, is planning to introduce a stand-alone bill on the matter in the coming weeks, with the Obama administration’s support. Congress should act quickly — and Mr. Barzani should reschedule his visit.

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Iraqi Kurdistan an attraction for tourists amid regional unrest Louise Redvers ERBIL, IRAQ //Sara took the hours-long bus ride from Baghdad to Korek Mountain in northern Iraq to do something she had never done before. She wanted to see snow. “It’s fun and it’s nice,” said Sara, 26, an en-gineer, who visited the semi-autonomous region in early March with her husband Am-jad and their one-year-old daughter, Zahra. “But it’s very cold,” she said, shivering as she clutched a bundled up Zahra tightly in her arms. Developing a tourism industry is important to the local Kurdistan Regional Government, which aims to diversify its economy to rely less on oil and natural gas. The goal is also important for broader Kurdish as-pirations to be less beholden to the central government in Baghdad. “There are many, many projects being implemented and tourism is a key target for our government,” said Nadir Rwsty, the spokesman for the regional government’s tourism board. “We don’t want to be relying on the single resource of oil because it won’t last for ever, and tourism can bring direct benefit to the people.” Korek Mountain Resort is a place that the regional government hopes will put the region on the interna-tional tourist map. Korek Mountain itself is 2,120 metres at its peak, while the resort stands at around 1,800 metres. A rough and rocky dirt road is one way up, but a new cable car offers a smoother ride. The glass cars travel 1,000 metres in a matter of minutes and as the trees and buildings beneath begin to blur, an enormous panorama unfolds, revealing a stunning view out across the fields and the rolling moun-tains. “I can’t think of another teleferic like this in the Middle East, or of somewhere where you can go from one season to another in a matter of minutes,” said Robert Zogbi, the Lebanese chief executive of Innovationz, a Dubai-based Hospitality group that manages the resort for its Kurdish owners. “We believe a lot of people will want to come here, not just to ski, but also for the scenery and the fresh air.” So far Korek just has two small ski slopes, one for novice skiers and one for people who can ski at an inter-mediate level, though there are discussions about adding more slopes for more seasoned skiiers. Mr Zogbi, whose company also runs the Marjan Island Resort and Spa in Ras Al Khaimah, said he was confident that Korek would be a big pull for all sorts of tourists: Iraqis and foreigners, including those from the Gulf. “The UAE is definitely a target market for us. At the moment people are going to Jordan or Oman for cul-tural tourism, but we also think Kurdistan has a lot to offer for those looking for something beyond beach and sun.”

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The Kurdistan Regional Government recently launched a $3 million (Dh11 million) marketing campaign targeting a global customer base including the UAE, United States, Europe and Turkey. “When people think of Iraq, they think it’s a danger zone, but it’s not like that here in Kurdistan,” said Balin Zrar, a project manager with The Other Iraq Tours, one of the first companies to offer guided tours around Kurdistan. “Many foreigners work here and visit here, and we have a lot of people coming here from abroad.” When Saddam Hussein was in power, Iraqi Kurdistan suffered as the re-gime imposed an economic blockade on the region in response to an up-rising. “We do still have a lot of work to do because we were under Saddam for a long time, and we were closed off from the outside world,” Mr Zrar said. “Even today many people here haven’t been outside of Kurdistan so they don’t necessarily know what tourism is about, so we do need more train-ing and education for people to work in the sector.” Mr Rwsty said a high school focusing on tourism and hospitality had just opened in Erbil, and regional training centres were also under construc-tion. About two thirds of Kurdistan’s visitors are middle-class Iraqis like Sara and Amjad, who travel north for a weekend to picnic by a waterfall or window shop in one of Erbil’s new malls. And beyond that, with the exception of those attending tours led by Mr Zrar and others, the rest are mostly businessmen linked to the energy and construction industries. While Iraqi Kurdistan is booming, with estimated oil reserves of 45 billion barrels and protected output of one million barrels per day by 2015, some have questioned the massive increase in hotel construction that has seen international brands such as Kempinski, Marriot, and Hilton, as well as smaller luxury chains like Greece’s Civitel, prepare to open five-star facilities in Erbil. “I do have concerns that there is overdevelopment, or will be when all these announced hotels have been built,” said Paul Bailey, a former oil and gas lawyer and now managing director of Erbil-based Definitus, an international consulting and private equity firm. “Tourist numbers are growing but it is questionable whether many of the domestic tourists have the means to enjoy five star hotels,” said Mr Bailey. “I also remain to be convinced that people in the wider Middle East looking for a skiing holiday are going to choose Korek when they can go to established resorts in Lebanon or Turkey, which are only one more hour away on a plane.” Back on Korek Mountain, the day-trippers from Baghdad were whirred down the mountain in the teleferic to their waiting minibus as the sunset created a warm pink glow in the sky. “It’s quite beautiful here and a very unique setting,” said Mr Zogbi. “I think people will want to come.” The National

“While Iraqi Kurdistan is booming, with esti-mated oil reserves of 45 billion barrels and protected output of

one million barrels per day by 2015, some

have questioned the massive increase in

hotel construction that has seen international

brands such as Kempinski, Marriot,

and Hilton, as well as smaller luxury chains like Greece’s Civitel, prepare to open five-

star facilities in Erbil.”