Foreign relations of Kurdistan Region
Relations of Kurdistan Region of Iraq with foreign states and organizations are conducted by the Kurdistan Region. Political stability and a rapidly developing economy have given the KRG the opportunity to pursue a foreign policy independent from the central government's. The KRG's primary body for directing its foreign affairs is the Department of Foreign Relations (DFR). The DFR's foremost objectives are to raise the global profile of the Kurdistan Region, improve the Region's international ties with various governments and international organizations, and present emerging business opportunities in the Kurdistan Region to regional and international actors.[1]
The KRG's foreign policy vision has paved the way for the establishment of various diplomatic representations in Kurdistan. A total of 30 countries have a diplomatic presence in Erbil. Multinational bodies, including the EU, UN, ICRC, JIA and the KOICA also have offices in Kurdistan. The KRG's presence abroad has grown significantly since 2007. Currently the KRG has representative offices in 14 countries.[1]
Department of Foreign Relations edit
Kurdistan Region established the Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) in September 2006 to conduct relations with the international community. Today, the DFR is an integral part of the government, with a wide-ranging portfolio of responsibilities. DFR used to be headed by Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir from 2006. It has been headed by Minister Safeen Dizayee since 2019. The KRG Department of Foreign Relations is mandated to promote the interests of the Kurdistan Region and its people in regard to relations with the international community and in accordance with the Region's legislation and the Constitution of Iraq.
The key responsibilities of the department include:
- Strengthening bilateral relations with the international community
- Promoting trade, investment, tourism and institutional ties
- Supervising the KRG's offices overseas
- Liaising with the diplomatic community in the Kurdistan Region
- Organising the visits of political and economic delegations to the Kurdistan Region
- Coordinating and organising KRG relations with the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Iraqi embassies abroad
- Conducting and supporting activities that enhance the image of the Kurdistan Region
- Communicating between official KRG institutions and the international community
- Providing legal and authentication services to the people of the region and its citizens abroad
Bilateral relations edit
Europe edit
Armenia edit
- Relations are described as 'cordial' and an Armenian consulate in Erbil is to be opened soon.[16]
Australia edit
Canada edit
India edit
There have been limited diplomatic relations between India and Kurdistan Region despite the historical ties. India purchases Kurdish crude oil sold through Turkish companies. Several Indian citizens work in Kurdistan. Many Kurds travel to India for educational or medical purposes. In July 2014, Hemin Hawrani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's international relations wing, told The Hindu that he hoped for deeper political and economic ties with India, describing the country as "an important partner". Hawrani also expressed his desire to see the Indian government open a consulate in Erbil, and invited Indian companies to invest in Kurdistan.[17] In November 2014, the Indian government sent special envoy Ambassador Suresh K. Reddy to visit Kurdistan and meet Kurdish government officials. Reddy stated that India "fully supports the Kurdistan Region during this difficult time", and expressed confidence in the Kurdish government and the Peshmerga forces to preserve the stability and security of the region. The Ambassador also praised the role of Peshmerga forces in fighting ISIL, and announced that the Indian government would open a consulate in Kurdistan.[18]
Israel edit
In 2004 was reported about the meetings of Israeli officials with Kurdish political leaders when Massoud Barzani, Jalal Talabani and the former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon publicly confirmed the good relations of Israel and Kurdistan Region.[19] The President of the Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani answered a question while visiting Kuwait in May 2006 about the Kurdish–Israeli relationship: "It is not a crime to have relations with Israel. If Baghdad established diplomatic relations with Israel, we could open a consulate in Erbil." In a policy address in 2014, Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the establishment of an independent Kurdish state. He said: "The Kurds are a fighting people that have proven political commitment and political moderation, and they're also worthy of their own political independence."[20]
Jordan edit
South Korea edit
Kurdistan and South Korea share strong diplomatic and economic relations as well as military support from the Korean Armed Forces. The Zaytun Division (Korean: 자이툰 부대; Kurdish: Tîpa Zeytûnê) was a Republic of Korea Army contingent operating in Kurdistan from September 2004 to December 2008. An additional 2,200 troops (mostly engineers) were deployed to Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq by early September 2004 and were grouped with the humanitarian troops who were relocated from Southern Iraq. The combined unit consisted of 2,800 soldiers. Another 800 soldiers were dispatched to reinforce the existing troops in Erbil in November 2004, thus increasing the size of South Korea's contingent to 3,600.[21][22][23]
The Republic of Korea has a Consulate in Erbil that opened in 2004, the current Head General is Mr. Park Young-Kyu.[24]
Kuwait edit
Palestine edit
Syria edit
Turkey edit
Consulate General of Turkey in Erbil was established in March 2010.[25] Flourishing trade between the two, an influx of Turkish investment, and energy agreements have paved the way for increasing geopolitical cooperation, and helped overcome decades of tension. This expanding partnership, built upon mutual economic interests, was symbolized by the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to the Kurdistan Region in March 2011, the first such visit by a Turkish leader. Increasing trade volumes between Turkey and Kurdistan ($8.4 billion in 2012) empirically demonstrate the importance of this developing relationship.[1] Past tensions have been supplanted by a new energy partnership and Turkey seems far less worried about the prospect of an independent Kurdistan Region. In May 2012, Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional Government cut a deal to build one gas and two oil pipelines directly from Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq to Turkey without the approval of Baghdad, taking the rapprochement started between the two in 2009 one step further.[26]
Post independence referendum edit
2017 Kurdistan Region independence referendum was heavily criticized and condemned by Turkish authorities and the independence vote significantly impaired the Turkey-Kurdistan Region relationship in the following years, though relations on the economical font remained significant. The border between KRG and Turkey remained open nonetheless, unlike Iran which also condemned the referendum and closed its border crossings in order to blockade the region.[27] Turkey removed three television channels based in northern Iraq, including Kurdish news agency Rudaw, from its TurkSat satellite over broadcasting violations during the Kurdish Regional Government's referendum in September 2017.[28] Turkey resumed flights to and from the Kurdistan Region in March 2018, which had been suspended since September 2017.
On 22 June 2019, the recently inaugurated President of the KRG Nechirvan Barzani visited Istanbul and met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, who described Barzani as his "special guest". It was Barzani's first official foreign visit as the President of the KRI.[29] The goal of the visit was interpreted by several media outlets, including Voice of America, as attempting to gain Kurdish support for the ruling Justice and Development Party's candidate Binali Yıldırım in the 23 June 2019 Istanbul mayoral election.[30][31]
United States edit
Currently the United States has official policy towards the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. US Kurdish policy starting initially with "contacts" to a covert "relationship" and finally to an overt "institutionalized relationship" embodied in an official US Kurdish policy. The change of US interaction with the Kurds from humanitarian assistance to strategic partnership as a non-state ally and an asset is testimony to the enhanced role of the Kurdistan Region in the international relations of the Middle East.[32] Deepening KRG–US economic relations was supported by establishment of the United States Kurdistan Business Council (USKBC) in April 2012. In the same month President of Kurdistan Region, President Masud Barzani, visited Washington, D.C., and met with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.[33]
The Consulate General of the United States in Erbil was established in July 2011.[33] Kurdistan Region have a representative office in the United States from February 2007.[34]
Relations with international organisations edit
Kurdistan Region holds 'member' or 'observer' status in only 5 international organisations.
| International organisation | Status | Representation | Application date | Admission date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) | member | Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan | 11 February 1991 | Kurdistan Region is founding member of the UNPO. |
Participation in international sports federations edit
Kurdistan Region holds 'member' status in two international sports federations.
| International organisation | Status | Representation | Application date | Admission date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N.F.-Board | member | Iraqi Kurdistan Football Association | December 2008 | In 2008, an Iraqi Kurdistani team participated for the first time in the Viva World Cup. Iraqi Kurdistan hosted Viva World Cup in 2012 and won it. | |
| CONIFA | member | Iraqi Kurdistan Football Association | June 2013 | In May 2016, an Iraqi Kurdistan team will participate in the ConIFA World Football Cup hosted by Abkhazia. |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c "Overview: Kurdistan Region of Iraq". Invest in Group. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Albania Starts Shifting Weapons to Iraqi Kurds". Balkan Insight. August 27, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p . Department of Foreign Relations - Kurdistan Regional Government. Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r . Department of Foreign Relations - Kurdistan Regional Government. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- ^ "Bulgaria to Open Consulate in Erbil". iraq-businessnews.com. December 1, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- ^ "The Croatia Ambassador to Iraq visited Erbil Chamber". Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry. November 15, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- ^ "Cyprus could send more light arms, ammunition to Kurdistan: FM". Kurdistan24. November 11, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ Andres Einmann (August 29, 2014). "Estonia gives Kurds a million cartridges". Posttimees. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Finland's training contributes to troops' capabilities in Iraq". April 25, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
- ^ "Iraq". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
- ^ . Kurdistan Region Presidency. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ^ . Kurdistan Regional Government. February 24, 2011. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ^ . Kurdistan Region Presidency. May 31, 2014. Archived from the original on November 27, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ^ "Norwegian soldiers to be deployed to Iraq". Government of Norway. March 5, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ "Slovenia sending up to 15 inspectors to Iraq". The Slovenia Times. February 3, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
- ^ "Armenian, Iraqi Kurdish PMs Discuss Closer Business Ties". Retrieved March 29, 2018.
- ^ Swami, Praveen (July 3, 2014). "Kurdish leadership calls for better India ties". The Hindu.
- ^ . dfr.gov.krd. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015.
- ^ "Israelis 'using Kurds to build power base'". The Guardian. June 21, 2004. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
- ^ "Netanyahu expresses support for Kurdish independence". Los Angeles Times. June 29, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
- ^ . Archived from the original on March 16, 2006. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ . July 21, 2006. Archived from the original on October 23, 2005. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ . Archived from the original on January 5, 2005. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ www.dfr.gov.krd. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ "Turkish Consulate General in Erbil". MFA of Turkey. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ . Foreign Policy. January 29, 2013. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Turkey-KRG relations one year after Kurdish independence vote". Ahval. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ "3 TV channels, including KRG's Rudaw, to be removed from TurkSat over broadcasting violations". DailySabah. September 25, 2017.
- ^ www.rudaw.net https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/turkey/21062019. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Erdogan Turns to Kurds to Win Istanbul Election | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. June 21, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ "Iraqi Kurdish president visits Turkey as Erdoğan's 'special guest'". Ahval. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ Shareef, Mohammed (2011). "The Kurds and US Foreign Policy: International Relations in the Middle East since 1945". Insight Turkey. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "KRG-US Relations". Kurdistan Regional Government. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "KRG office in DC". Kurdistan Commentary. November 28, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
External links edit
- KRG Department of Foreign Relations