Russian diplomatic mission will not withdraw from Erbil, says Consul
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Russian official in Erbil announced on Tuesday that they do not intend to withdraw their diplomatic missions amid growing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad, a day after Iraqi troops took control of Kirkuk.
“There is no plan to withdraw Russia’s consulate from Erbil,” Russian Consul General in Erbil Viktor Simakov, told Rudaw in an interview.
“Russia’s consulate remains and will remain in Erbil. News that there is a possibility that we will withdraw our consulate from Erbil is not true,” Simakov said.
Following the attacks of the Hashd al-Shaabi and the Iraqi army on Kirkuk, news of the closure of Russia’s consulate in Erbil circulated in some media outlets.
After the independence referendum was held on September 25, Baghdad ordered a set of harsh measures against the Kurdistan Region which included the closure of diplomatic missions, something rejected by Erbil.
The Iraqi parliament had asked the Iraqi government to summon the ambassadors of those countries who have diplomatic missions in the Kurdistan Region to inform them to close their consulates and offices, moving them to provinces outside of the Kurdistan Region.
Simakov had earlier told Russian Sputnik that “I have not heard about this, I will have to verify this information.”
More than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Iran, and Turkey, have diplomatic missions in the Kurdistan Region.
“There is no plan to withdraw Russia’s consulate from Erbil,” Russian Consul General in Erbil Viktor Simakov, told Rudaw in an interview.
“Russia’s consulate remains and will remain in Erbil. News that there is a possibility that we will withdraw our consulate from Erbil is not true,” Simakov said.
Following the attacks of the Hashd al-Shaabi and the Iraqi army on Kirkuk, news of the closure of Russia’s consulate in Erbil circulated in some media outlets.
After the independence referendum was held on September 25, Baghdad ordered a set of harsh measures against the Kurdistan Region which included the closure of diplomatic missions, something rejected by Erbil.
The Iraqi parliament had asked the Iraqi government to summon the ambassadors of those countries who have diplomatic missions in the Kurdistan Region to inform them to close their consulates and offices, moving them to provinces outside of the Kurdistan Region.
Simakov had earlier told Russian Sputnik that “I have not heard about this, I will have to verify this information.”
More than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Iran, and Turkey, have diplomatic missions in the Kurdistan Region.