NIQASH: So did anyone tell the Iranians that Erbil’s potential new air base isn’t going to pose them any problems?
Dizayee: Given the close ties that bind Iraqi Kurdistan with Iran, the position of the region regarding Iran is very clear.
NIQASH: How is your relationship with Turkey currently – it seems to have been becoming warmer and certainly the region does a huge amount of business with the Turkish. But Turkey has shown a lack of support for Iraqi Kurdistan when it comes to confronting the IS group.
Dizayee: We still have good relations with this country and it has helped Iraqi Kurdistan on a humanitarian level. Even now, Turkey is helping build camps for refugees in Dohuk. However the Turkish were busy with an election and the IS group also held 49 hostages for a long time. Perhaps these were some of the reasons behind a lack of participation in efforts against the IS group. However now that the hostages have been released, Turkey’s position may change.
NIQASH: Has Iraqi Kurdistan felt differently toward Turkey because of this: did the relationship get chilly?
Dizayee: No, it didn’t. It is true that Iraqi Kurdistan’s government was expecting the Turkish government to take more steps. And we are still waiting for them to do this.
NIQASH: Many countries have been helping with humanitarian aid. But some have also been helping with military aid. One case in particular – that of Germany – is interesting because in general, the country’s laws ban exports of weapons to conflict zones. But Germany has ignored this and decided to send weapons to arm the Iraqi Kurdish forces.
Dizayee: We appreciate this very much. It means that European countries, the US and in fact, the whole world has realized how serious this confrontation with such a savage force as the IS group is – not only for Iraqi Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq, but the whole world.
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