President Masoud Barzani this week paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates to strengthen political, economic, cultural and investment ties between the Emirates and the Kurdistan Region.

The President had meetings with the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and constitutional monarch of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to a stable and prosperous Iraq in which all its people can live together peacefully.

President Barzani expressed his admiration for the rapid economic development and progress that the UAE has witnessed and said that the Kurdistan Region can learn much from their experience. He described his visit as the start of a turning point in their relations, and said that Kurdistan is keen to increase economic cooperation with the UAE.

Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said to President Barzani that both sides would benefit from greater cooperation.

Both UAE leaders commended the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its leadership for their achievements and the positive role they play in Iraq.

President Barzani visited Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted renewable energy company, on Tuesday to receive a brief on the UAE’s efforts in developing renewable energy solutions and clean technology.

He also met with the UAE’s Chambers of Commerce to discuss business and investment opportunities in the Kurdistan Region.

The President and his accompanying delegation attended a number of other meetings with UAE leaders, focusing on further strengthening ties in areas including agriculture, tourism and industry.

During the three day visit, the President was accompanied by the KRG Deputy Prime Minister, Imad Ahmad, the KRG Minister of Planning, Ali Sindi, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Falah Mustafa and the Head of the Board of Investment, Herish Muharam along with several KRG advisers.

Britain’s Ambassador to Iraq on Friday concluded a one-week visit to the Kurdistan Region by meetingwith President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. He visited all three of the Region’s governorates, meeting students, officials and civil society representatives.

Ambassador Michael Aron met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials and visited all three provinces of the Kurdistan Region to discuss the ongoing political crisis in Iraq as well as recent developments inthe Middle East as a whole. He also explored how to further develop the already strong links between the United Kingdom and the Kurdistan Region.

In his meeting with President Barzani, the British Ambassador said that he was impressed by the economic and educational progress taking place in Kurdistan, saying that the KRG’s policies have clearly helped encourage business development and an influx of foreign investment in the Region.

President Barzani welcomed the Ambassador and thanked him for the important contributions of the British people and government toward the ongoing development of Kurdistan.

Both sides discussed the current political crisis in Iraq,and the President clarified the KRG’s position on various issues related to it, emphasising the importance of adhering to the Iraqi constitution in order to ensure that Iraq does not return to its dictatorial past.

Ambassador Aron also met newly inaugurated Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, to talk about strengthening bilateral relations, and about Kurdistan’s role in the changes happening throughout the Middle East.

Discussing areas of mutual cooperation in the meeting, the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations Minister Falah Mustafa said,“We are pleased with our close relationship with the people and government ofthe United Kingdom. Many of our students are now earning graduate degrees in Britain, and we welcome more British companies and entrepreneurs to come and share their experience and expertise with us as well.”

The British Ambassador said that he was pleased to have the opportunity to see so much of the Region, saying that he particularly enjoyed visiting local universities and speaking with students there.

The British Consul General in Erbil Chris Bowers, who accompanied the Ambassador on his visit, spoke about the various projects that the UK government is supporting and promoting, and the involvement of British businesses in the Region as well.

British companies continue to be active and well represented in the Kurdistan Region, and more than half of the current scholarship recipients from the KRG’s 100 million US dollar Human Capacity Development Programme (HCDP) are pursuing their postgraduate studies at universities in the UK.

The British Ambassador also met the Minister for the Interior Karim Sinjari, Minister of Natural Resources Dr Ashti Hawrami, Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research Dr Ali Saeed, the President’s Chief of Staff Dr Fuad Hussein, as well as other officials and representatives.

(Source: KRG)

Iraq’s the deputy head of the parliamentary security and defence committee, Iskander Witwit, has told Reuters that Iraq will take delivery of the first 24 of 36 F-16 fighter jets it has ordered from the United States at the beginning of 2014.

He said the first 24 planes would make up two air force squadron, and Iraq would be in the market for more planes in the future.

“Iraq intends to have equipment which is more developed than neighboring countries have. Small neighboring countries like Kuwait even have five squadrons,” Witwit said.

The announcement has increased tensions between Erbil an Baghdad. According to AFP, Massud Barzani, the president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan, said he opposes the sale of F-16 warplanes to Iraq while Nuri al-Maliki is premier, as he fears they would be used against the region.

“The F-16 must not reach the hand of this man [Maliki],” Barzani said. Placing some hope in the region’s relationship with ExxonMobil, he added: “If ExxonMobil came, it would be equal to 10 American military divisions … they will defend the area if their interests are there.”

(Sources: Reuters, AFP)

would be in the market for more planes in the future

Iraqi Kurds say they have struck a new oil find at the disputed district of Shaikhan, north of the city of Mosul.

According to the report from Azzaman, the discovery of reserves of up to 917 million barrels in an area close to Mosul, the capital Nineveh, is certain to fuel tension between Iraqi Kurds and the central government in Baghdad.

The area is administratively part of Nineveh but the Kurds have extended their control to most of the agriculturally and minerally rich plateau of Mosul, which is inhabited by a mixture of ethnicities including Christians, Shebeks, Turkmen, Yazidis as well as Kurds and Arabs.

A foreign firm is said to have made the discovery on behalf of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).

(Source: Azzaman)

AKnews reports that Sweden is planning to open trade offices in Erbil, as well as an institute to help Iraqis address unemployment, in an attempt to broaden trade relations with both the region and Iraq.

The announcement came in a press conference for the Swedish Trade Minister Eva Björling who is in Erbil on a visit.

“We’ll cooperate with the Kurdistan Region in order for the region to enhance its infrastructure and to develop bilateral trade and economic relations,” said the minister.

(Source: AKnews)

Inaugural speech by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, at the swearing in of the seventh KRG cabinet, Kurdistan Parliament, Erbil, 5 April 2012.

Your Excellency the Speaker of the Kurdistan parliament, your Excellency Vice President of the Kurdistan Region, Excellencies Members of the Kurdistan Parliament, dear audience,

We are glad that we are present today in front of the Kurdistan Parliament to announce the formation of the seventh cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The people of Kurdistan are the source of legitimacy of the KRG

It is a huge responsibility that has been entrusted to us, and with my dear colleague Mr Imad Ahmad and all my colleagues in the seventh cabinet, we will work hard to meet this challenge.

The people of Kurdistan are the source of legitimacy for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and today we are honoured to receive their endorsement through their representatives in the Kurdistan Parliament.

In spite of its remaining shortcomings, the Kurdistan Region has witnessed tremendous political, economic and social development. However, we will continue our efforts to fulfill our duty and the promises that have been made to our people.

We thank our dear friends Dr Barham Salih the Prime Minister of the Sixth KRG Cabinet, his Deputy Mr Azad Barwari and the members of their cabinet for the important work that they accomplished in the time that they had. Their efforts are appreciated both by us and by the people of Kurdistan.

We would also like to faithfully remember and appreciate the sacrifices of all the martyrs of the Kurdistan liberation and freedom movement. We promise to continue the struggle for the development and the prosperity of our people in their memory, for we wouldn’t be here today if it hadn’t been for their struggle and sacrifices.

A strong will

Today, we have come here to the parliament of Kurdistan with a strong will. While we will continue the work of the fifth and sixth cabinets, we will also partner with the Kurdistan parliament to implement a new program, with strategies and initiatives that will take into consideration the political, economic and social changes that have taken place in recent years.

Recently, some countries of the Middle East and North Africa have a begun to see the emergence of democracy and justice. The Kurdistan Region welcomes these changes, and supports any change that is in the direction of democracy, freedom and human rights. By contrast, the Kurdish Spring began twenty years ago when the people of Kurdistan rose up, with the support of the Kurdistan political parties, and managed to end the authority of one of the most dangerous dictators of that time in our land, choosing to install the rule of law, democracy and freedom without the support of foreign countries.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, during a three day visit to Budapest this week, met Hungary’s President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Economic Minister on an official visit to promote bilateral relations and cooperation.

President Barzani and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban discussed ways to develop cooperation and investment opportunities in a number of areas, including agriculture, energy, and industry.

Prime Minister Orban talked about his country’s willingness to cooperate with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in several fields and he hailed the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region, as well as its investor-friendly business environment. He added that his government would encourage more Hungarian companies to look for opportunities in Kurdistan.

President Barzani said that the KRG wishes to establish strong ties with Hungary, and invited Hungarian firms and investors to explore Kurdistan’s potential.

In a separate meeting with Foreign Minister János Martonyi, President Barzani welcomed the Hungarian government’s interest in opening an honorary consulate in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, and described it as an important step towards establishing strong bilateral relations.

The President also discussed methods to enhance bilateral cooperation with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament István Jakab and the Minister of Economy György Matolcsy, specifically talking about the exchange of teams and delegations of technical experts to promote coordination in a variety of sectors, including energy, industry, agriculture, education and more.

During the official visit, President Barzani was accompanied in his meetings by the Iraqi Ambassador to Hungary, Ambassador Qasim Askar, and the delegation met with a number of other Middle Eastern ambassadors posted in Budapest to discuss regional developments and the ongoing situation in Iraq.

The President also met with Hungary’s new President László Kövér during the visit.

President Barzani was accompanied by the Head of the KRG Security Protection Agency, Masrour Barzani; the President’s Chief of Staff, Dr Fuad Hussein; the Minister of Natural Resources, Dr Ashti Hawrami; the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa; and the Chairman of the Kurdistan Investment Board, Minister Herish Muharam.

Last week we reported that Ian Hannam, a top advisor at JPMorgan Chase, has stepped down to appeal a £450,000 ($720,000) fine from the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) for disclosing inside information about a potential offer for Heritage Oil, as well as news of an oil find.

Reuters’ sources  claim that the email recipient refered to in the case as “Mr A” was in fact Kurdistan’s Minister for Natural Resources, Ashti Hawrami (pictured).

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued a statement confirming contact between Mr Hannam and the KRG at various levels, and denying that any inappropriate action was taken on the basis of information received:

“There have been media reports regarding a decision by the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) against Mr Ian Hannam, a senior banker at JP Morgan. The FSA Decision Notice refers to two emails sent by Mr Hannam.

The Decision Notice does not identify the Kurdistan Regional Government as the recipient of the emails, referring instead to ‘Organisation C’ and a ‘Mr A’. However, some media reports have revealed these to be, respectively, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and KRG Minister of Natural Resources Dr Hawrami.

In these circumstances the KRG would like to clarify the following:

Mr Hannam had contact with the KRG at various levels in 2008. One of Mr Hannam’s clients was Heritage, an oil company with a production sharing contract in the Kurdistan Region.

The FSA decision refers to two emails that were sent by Mr Hannam to ‘Mr A’. The FSA notes that no action was taken by any party based on those emails.

The KRG confirms that the information identified by the FSA contained in the two emails was unsolicited, and further confirms that neither the KRG, nor any representative of the KRG, responded to that information or took any action as a result of that information.

The KRG considers this to be a UK regulatory matter between the FSA and Mr Hannam, and has nothing further to add. “