In 1946, after the fall of the first Kurdish state, the Republic of Mahabad - established with the support of the USSR - the famous Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani found refuge in the Soviet Union.
In 1959, Barzani returned from the Soviet Union to his homeland in Iraq, where the new local authorities promised to grant the Kurds the rights and autonomy they desired. However, by 1960, Baghdad had radically changed its stance, leading to the start of a guerrilla war. Then, in 1968, after the Baath Party overthrew the Abdel Kerim Kassem regime in Iraq, its leaders attempted to rebuild relations with the Kurds. However, their efforts failed, and hostilities soon resumed.
In early 1969, Barzani rejected the Baathists' proposal for a truce, stating that such an agreement would only be possible if Kurdish autonomy was established in northern Iraq. As a result, Baghdad provoked renewed fighting. The 1969 armed conflict in Iraqi Kurdistan, like previous ones, ended inconclusively. When Iraqi troops launched new attacks on the Kurds, the USSR defended them.
At that time, Moscow was negotiating a draft treaty of friendship and cooperation with the new Iraqi government. The situation required the Soviet government to find a compromise between the interests of the central Iraqi authorities and the Kurds. One of the key figures in this delicate mission was Yevgeny Maximovich Primakov, a prominent Russian statesman and diplomat.
In the 1960s, Primakov was at the beginning of his career, working as a correspondent for the Pravda newspaper in Iraq. Later, his diplomatic talents, vast knowledge, and sincere approach helped him achieve great career heights. His name is inscribed in the history of Soviet and Russian foreign policy.
Throughout his career, he held several high-ranking positions: Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation (1991–1996), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1996–1998), and Chairman of the Government of Russia (1998–1999). In each role, he applied his extensive experience and scientific expertise to solve complex issues.
As part of efforts to balance the interests of the Kurdish side and the Iraqi central authorities in 1969, the USSR sent a delegation led by Yevgeny Primakov to Iraq. The main purpose of the visit was to establish contact with the Kurds and determine the conditions under which they would be willing to cooperate with Baghdad.
Primakov traveled to northern Iraq several times to meet with Mustafa Barzani. These discussions played a major role in strengthening Russian-Kurdish relations. He became a “channel of communication,” the only Soviet representative with direct personal contact with both the Kurds and the Iraqi authorities. In his memoirs, he later noted that he sincerely empathized with the Kurds and tried to support them as much as possible. Over time, Primakov and Barzani developed a close friendship.
As part of the negotiations, after meeting with the Barzanis, Primakov returned to Baghdad, where he held talks with Saddam Hussein, then Vice President of Iraq. The resulting agreement was a milestone - the first official document in modern Kurdish history recognizing Kurdish rights. On March 10, 1970, with Primakov’s mediation, Mustafa Barzani and Saddam Hussein met in Iraqi Kurdistan to finalize the terms of the Iraqi-Kurdish treaty. The final document contained 15 points, which, among other things, guaranteed Kurdish rights.
Under the agreement, Kurdish was to become an official state language alongside Arabic, Kurds were granted full participation in governance (including opportunities to hold high government positions), funds were allocated for the development of the Kurdish region, and the Iraqi Constitution was to be amended to recognize that “the Iraqi people consist of two nationalities: Arab and Kurdish.”
On March 11, 1970, the agreement was signed, and its text was read at a ceremony by Iraqi President Ahmed Al Bakr.
Unfortunately, the Iraqi government soon abandoned its commitment to implementing the agreement due to deep-seated conflicts between the central government and Iraqi Kurdistan - issues that could not be resolved by a single document.
Although the 1970 agreement was never fully realized, it remains an important testament to the Kurds' aspirations for freedom and autonomy. It was a breakthrough in the historically tense relations between Erbil and Baghdad.
Fifty-five years later, the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq continues to develop dynamically. This progress was made possible by the firm leadership of Mustafa Barzani and his comrades, as well as the diplomatic skills and unwavering support of his close friend, Yevgeny Primakov.
Maxim Rubin is the Consul General of Russia to Erbil.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
