Barzani attended the Middle East Peace and Security (MEPS) Forum at the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) in Duhok where Iraqi and Kurdish leaders and pundits gathered to discuss security and stability in the Middle East.
In his keynote speech, Barzani addressed the important role Kurds play in Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria.
“Kurds in those countries should not be separated, they should be given space and be included in the decision making process and be cooperated with,” Barzani said, noting that Kurds, Arabs, Persians, and Turks will remain as neighbors as they have been even before the modern states were established.
At least 40 million Kurds live in Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria where they have faced assimilation and oppression under different regimes over the past century. In recent decades, Kurds in Iraq and Syria have made progress in gaining political and cultural rights. Kurds have an autonomous region in Iraq with an influential presence in the Iraqi parliament and good relations with global superpowers. In Syria, Kurds carved out an autonomous administration in the northeast during the country’s civil conflict and have, so far unsuccessfully, tried to open dialogue with Damascus to guarantee preservation of the progress they have made.
In Iran and Turkey, Kurds face systemic oppression. Kurdish activists in Iran are often frequently arrested and Iranian forces justify their attacks on Kurdish opposition groups with quotes from the Quran instructing the faithful to “fight the disbelievers.”
Turkey frequently launches military campaigns against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist organization, both at home and in Syria and Iraq. An attempt to shut down the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is making its way through the court, and lawmakers and general public face the risk of arrest for using the word Kurdistan.
Barzani defined coexistence and acceptance of each other as a key step in maintaining peace in the region.
“We will eventually have consider each other and remind ourselves that none of us have decided to leave this place and none of us will just cease to exist, therefore coexistence within the borders of the same country is our solution,” he said.
Looking at Iraq, which held a parliamentary election last month and is beginning the process of forming a new government, Barzani said the country is going through a sensitive post-war period and that the only way to preserve security is through cooperation.
President Barzani: We have finished a long war against ISIS. There is no Islamic State caliphate remaining on the ground, but we have a long way to go in maintaining security, especially by solving the issues that paved the way for the emergence of ISIS.#meps21 pic.twitter.com/ZBHqxQCLcY
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) November 16, 2021
He said that the Kurdistan Region will always be willing to take the first step towards achieving peace and will continue to be a factor for stability.
Barzani said that the path to peace and stability is a responsibility of everyone in the region and it remains a big challenge.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani: In the Middle East, achieving and preserving peace and stability is a very big challenge and a common responsibility for all the nations in the region.#meps21 pic.twitter.com/K9cREY9ZRk
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) November 16, 2021
Several parties affiliated with Iranian-backed militias did poorly in the election and have rejected the results. Their supporters protested and at least one person was killed and 125 people were injured when protesters clashed with security forces earlier this month. Just days later, an explosive-laden drone was used to attack the residence of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in what security forces labeled an attempted assassination.
The MEPS Forum 2021 is the second time AUK hosts the conference. It was first held in 2019. This year’s forum is titled “The Middle East in transition: winning and keeping the peace.” Tuesday was the second day after a number of private workshops were held on Monday.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani addressed the difficult stage Iraq is going through in his opening remarks.
“We are now are in the post-election stage. I hope we can pass this stage successfully and return Iraq to the shore of peace. We need to work for this together,” he said.
Iraqi President Barham Salih also attended. He reflected on the post-election transitional period and the steps taken towards forming a new government.
Iraq President Barham Salih: In Iraq, the problem is not just about forming a new government. The main issue is to stabilize a good government that reflects the needs of the Iraqi people.#meps21 pic.twitter.com/pDY6ufvdzj
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) November 16, 2021
The election was held a year early to meet the demands of widespread protests against government corruption and ineptitude.
