ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The reality of the Kurdistan Region resembles that of Nagorno-Karabakh region in Armenia with its territorial disputes and national ambitions, said Dr. Vladimir V. Evseev of the Institute of Commonwealth Countries in Moscow in Erbil on Wednesday, adding that the situation calls for good ties with neighboring countries. "For me it's a good idea if the Kurds organize their country," Evseev said at a panel organized by the Rudaw Research Center, "I tried to compare your situation with Nagorno-Karabakh, which, like you, has a president, parliament and very strong enemies." "At the same time for Nagorno-Karabakh it is important to have mutual economic territory with Armenia and mutual territory for security,” Evseev added. The Head of the Division of Eurasian Integration and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Extension thinks that the Kurdistan Region maintains most of its economic ties with Turkey, which he argued could be good and bad for the region. “The situation with Iraqi Kurdistan is worse because you have a very serious economical link with Turkey," he said. "In my view it's a good idea since Turkey will be friendly to Iraqi Kurdistan and in my personal view it would be a good idea if Iraqi Kurdistan became fully independent." Evseev said that Russia respects Kurdish ambitions and the region remains important for Moscow, hoping that in the future Kurdistan engages with Russia through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. “In my personal view Russia may be a good partner for Kurdistan,” he said. He added, meanwhile, that "Russia follows pragmatic policies. Kurdish interests are separate, at the same time Russia cannot use Kurds as a tool. America does same because it needs Kurdish support,” believing that the Kurds will be an important force for the liberation of Mosul and Raqqa respectively from the Islamic State.
