United Kingdom Ambassador to Iraq Jon Wilks on September 2, 2019.Photo: Hozan Hakeem
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — United Kingdom Ambassador to Iraq Jon Wilks sat down with Rudaw’s Shaho Amin on September 2 to discuss the hopes, challenges and threats facing the country and the Kurdistan Region.
Wilks expressed general optimism for the Region’s future, with the recent formation of a new cabinet, the territorial defeat of Islamic State (ISIS), and a period of detente between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad. One point of policy focus is on economic kick-start both in the Region and in Iraq, which he hopes to encourage through increased British business presence.
Despite its territorial defeat, Wilks said ISIS still pose a “local threat,” particularly in Iraqi territory disputed by Erbil and Baghdad. He repeatedly emphasized the need to continue operations against the group to counter its resurgence. The UK’s signing of a defense cooperation memorandum with Baghdad, which includes Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga training, serves to counter that potential.
In the face of currently heightened US-Iran tensions, the ambassadors said he believes Iraq would do best to defend its sovereignty and independence by emphasizing that its territory should not be used to threaten any countries in the region. The UK’s current role in the situation is to “diffuse tension,” he says. “I don’t think anybody wants a major conflict.”
Speaking about the British delegation to northeastern Syria (Rojava) in late August, whose details had at the time been kept under wraps, the ambassador said its focus was on what to do with ISIS suspects and families held in the area’s detention facilities.
Though the UK has “no policy” for the return of its citizens, it does not want to bring British national detainees, who number “no way near three figures,” back to the UK. To deal with ISIS detainees is of “common interest” to both European and regional countries, as "many of them still believe in the ideology and still pose a security threat," he added, particularly to the neighboring Kurdistan Region.
Wilks said the UK is "very grateful for the authorities in northeast Syria holding these people, and have started in some cases trials." Britain is now mainly talking to Iraqi authorities about whether they could be trialed in Iraq, he added.
Another purpose for the British delegation visit was to ensure that Kurds in Syria “are part of a Syrian political process,” as negotiations with Damascus are currently at a standstill. The ambassador made clear, however, that the visit did not focus on long-running political division between Rojava’s political parties, the Kurdish National Council (ENKS) and the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Wilks describes disputes around the governance of Kirkuk as "the most complex problem in the whole of Iraq.”
"If we're going to stabilize Iraq, there has to be a negotiated compromise on Kirkuk," he told Amin.
Britain’s stance is to support UN-assisted efforts for “social cohesion” in Kirkuk, revolving around what he called a distinct “Kirkuki identity” and avoiding further entrenchment of ethnic difference. On future governance for the disputed province, Wilks said "Everybody I think understands that it will involve some form of joint administration."
Wilks expressed general optimism for the Region’s future, with the recent formation of a new cabinet, the territorial defeat of Islamic State (ISIS), and a period of detente between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad. One point of policy focus is on economic kick-start both in the Region and in Iraq, which he hopes to encourage through increased British business presence.
Despite its territorial defeat, Wilks said ISIS still pose a “local threat,” particularly in Iraqi territory disputed by Erbil and Baghdad. He repeatedly emphasized the need to continue operations against the group to counter its resurgence. The UK’s signing of a defense cooperation memorandum with Baghdad, which includes Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga training, serves to counter that potential.
In the face of currently heightened US-Iran tensions, the ambassadors said he believes Iraq would do best to defend its sovereignty and independence by emphasizing that its territory should not be used to threaten any countries in the region. The UK’s current role in the situation is to “diffuse tension,” he says. “I don’t think anybody wants a major conflict.”
Speaking about the British delegation to northeastern Syria (Rojava) in late August, whose details had at the time been kept under wraps, the ambassador said its focus was on what to do with ISIS suspects and families held in the area’s detention facilities.
Though the UK has “no policy” for the return of its citizens, it does not want to bring British national detainees, who number “no way near three figures,” back to the UK. To deal with ISIS detainees is of “common interest” to both European and regional countries, as "many of them still believe in the ideology and still pose a security threat," he added, particularly to the neighboring Kurdistan Region.
Wilks said the UK is "very grateful for the authorities in northeast Syria holding these people, and have started in some cases trials." Britain is now mainly talking to Iraqi authorities about whether they could be trialed in Iraq, he added.
Another purpose for the British delegation visit was to ensure that Kurds in Syria “are part of a Syrian political process,” as negotiations with Damascus are currently at a standstill. The ambassador made clear, however, that the visit did not focus on long-running political division between Rojava’s political parties, the Kurdish National Council (ENKS) and the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Wilks describes disputes around the governance of Kirkuk as "the most complex problem in the whole of Iraq.”
"If we're going to stabilize Iraq, there has to be a negotiated compromise on Kirkuk," he told Amin.
Britain’s stance is to support UN-assisted efforts for “social cohesion” in Kirkuk, revolving around what he called a distinct “Kirkuki identity” and avoiding further entrenchment of ethnic difference. On future governance for the disputed province, Wilks said "Everybody I think understands that it will involve some form of joint administration."
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