President Barzani offers condolences for death of former US official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday offered his condolences for the passing of former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, saying she holds a special place in the Kurdistan history.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,” Barzani said in a tweet, adding that Albright “holds a special place in Kurdistan history as she played an important role in ceasing internal fighting in 1990s.”

Albright passed away at the age of 84, her family announced on Wednesday.

Albright served as US Secretary of State between 1997 to 2001, being the first female in the position. 

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) entered a civil war in 1994 in the newly-established Kurdistan Region. Thousands of people from both sides were killed. The US worked to reconcile both political parties in a bid to weaken Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. 

After years of civil war, Albright was able to bring together KDP leader Masoud Barzani and PUK leader Jalal Talabani in Washington in 1998. They signed a historic peace agreement on September 17 that same year. 

Albright was quoted by her office at the time as welcoming both Kurdish leaders. “As they will indicate shortly, their joint meetings here this week have opened a new and hopeful chapter in their efforts to work together on behalf of their people.”

“The renewed spirit of reconciliation between Mr. Barzani and Mr. Talabani, exemplified by their joint meeting and joint statement today, will make it easier for the United States and others to help their people. They have set a timetable for resolving their differences fully consistent with the principles laid down in the 1996 Ankara Accords. We encourage them and will help where we can to see that this agenda is met. Without unity, the road ahead will remain very difficult. With unity, there is every reason for the Iraqi Kurds to look forward with hope,” she said. 

Barzani and Talabani agreed on revenue-sharing, power-sharing and security arrangements, reported the Washington Institute at the time.

Commenting on the news, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday said he was “saddened by the loss of Madeleine Albright,” who he called “a lifelong supporter of the Kurdish cause.”

The nineties is often considered to be a dark decade of Kurdish history, witnessing several civil wars between the KDP, PUK, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Islamic parties. 

Born in Prague in 1937, Albright came to the United States as an 11-year-old political refugee, having first fled to the United Kingdom to escape the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939.