ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The head of the Russian-state owned oil and gas company has extended his condolences to the KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani on the death of his twin brother, Dilovan. Russia's Ambassador in Iraq separately also expressed his "heartfelt condolences."
Igor Sechin, the CEO for the Russian company with billions of dollars in investment in the Kurdistan Region, expressed his condolences, saying that Dilovan dedicated his life for the "rightful" Kurdish cause whose ultimate goal is an independent state.
Sechin described Dilovan Barzani as "a famous social figure in Iraqi Kurdistan whose name was attached to the struggle of the people of Kurdistan for independence."
"Like your honorable grandfather Mustafa Barzani, and many known honorable members of your family, he dedicated his life for the rightful issue, the foundation of an independent Kurdistan," the Russian letter continued, according to a KRG statement published on Tuesday.
Mullah Mustafa Barzani, the father of the former president of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, headed the September Revolution in 1961 against the former Iraqi regime. It resulted in an agreement to found a Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq, but the deal was scrapped as Baghdad backtracked on its promises.
The Russian government also reached out PM Barzani.
"With a deep sorrow and regret I have learned about the passing away of your brother Mr. Dilovan Barzani, who was well known in Kurdistan not only for his success in social affairs, but for his patriotism and goodwill towards people," read a letter signed by Maksim Maksimov, the Ambassador of Russia in Iraq.
The letter was dated April 3 and seen by Rudaw on Wednesday.
"I express my heartfelt condolences to you, your family and Mr. Barzani's friends. May God rest his soul."
Dilovan Barzani died on Monday from a heart attack at the age of 51. People gathered in Pirmam on Tuesday to console the Barzani family.
The Kurdistan Region held an independence referendum last year on September 25 that saw about 93 percent of the people voting to leave Iraq. The Iraqi government, among others, opposed the Kurdish vote and took control of the majority of the disputed or Kurdistani areas such as the oil-rich Kirkuk on October 16.
The Iraqi government has since called on the KRG to hand over the sale of the oil exports to an Iraqi national oil company. The two sides are yet to strike an oil deal.
In March, the KRG said that they were close to reaching an agreement with Baghdad that will allow the oil export from the Iraqi-controlled oil fields in Kirkuk to the international market using the KRG's pipeline to Turkey. The deal, proposed by Erbil, allows Baghdad to receive the revenue with Erbil receiving a share, as well as securing payments for Rosneft and Turkey's BOTAS in order to transport the oil to global markets.
Updated at 12:47 p.m.
