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Condoleezza Rice Remarks With Massoud
Barzani
9.10.2006
US Department of State, Oct. 6 |
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Erbil, Kurdistan
Region (Iraq)
October 6, 2006
PRESIDENT BARZANI: (Via interpreter) First of
all, I would like to welcome Madame Secretary and
the accompanying delegation. We had a constructive
meeting. We talked about the general situation in
Iraq. We talked about the national reconciliation
process, the political process. Fortunately, our
views were very similar and we have pledged that we
will continue in our efforts in our cooperation to
implement the process that we have started until we
establish a federal, democratic, pluralistic Iraq,
an Iraq which will be free from terrorism and
terrorists.
SECRETARY RICE:
Thank you very much. I appreciate very much that
President Barzani of the Kurdish regional government
has welcomed us here so warmly. It's wonderful to be
in Erbil again. I said to the President that it is a
beautiful region that is obviously growing very
rapidly. We have had very good discussions about the
national reconciliation process and the vision of a
unified and democratic Iraq that is stable, that is
at peace, and at peace with its neighbors.
I appreciate your leadership and I appreciate also
your important participation in the process of
national reconciliation. And thank you again for
having me here. |
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , left, talks
with reporters during a news conference after
meeting with the President of the Kurdistan region
(Iraq) , Massoud Barzani, right, in Erbil, Iraq
Friday, Oct. 6,
Photo:AP |
QUESTION: (Via
interpreter) A question from (inaudible) addressed
to Madame Secretary. The Kurds have always been an
ally and a friend to the United States, and since
the beginning of the Iraqi liberation freedom
operation we have been fighting together. We have
shed blood together in this process. And we have
always -- the Kurdish leadership has always been
taking care of the American interests in this. What
are your guarantees for the rights of the Kurdish
people in the future?
SECRETARY RICE:
Well, we have been friends with the Kurdish people
for a very long time, and in fact prior to
liberation, well prior to liberation, I think helped
to provide stability and protection to the Kurdish
people. We now are able to have a situation in which
we will have a democratic Iraq, not just a
democratic Kurdish region. There are guarantees in
the constitution of that unified Iraq. People
understand the importance of autonomy here in the
Kurdish regions. They understand the special history
of Kurdistan.
And I think that the process that is going on now in
Baghdad is one that can, within the framework of a
united Iraq, protect and defend the rights of all
people. And of course the Kurdish people will be
better served by neighbors in the neighborhood who
are friendly and who are respecting the integrity
and independence of Iraq and will most certainly be
better served if Baghdad and surrounding areas are
stable and democratic as well.
Paul Richter.
QUESTION:
President Barzani, there is a lot of talk on the
street in Kurdistan about secession from Iraq. I
wonder what is your judgment about the level of
interest in that idea. Do you share that sentiment
perhaps yourself?
Also I wanted to know your views on the new oil
exploration in Kurdistan. Should that revenue, do
you think, remain in Kurdistan or should it go to
the Iraqi treasury?
Also, Madame Secretary, I wonder if I could, did you
reach any agreement with the President on how the
PKK should be handled by Kurdish authorities or by
the Iraqi army?
MODERATOR: That was three questions.
SECRETARY RICE:
Yes, it was. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT BARZANI: Sir, Kurds, like any other
nation, they have the right to self-determination.
This is a natural right. But the parliament in
Kurdistan has adopted within the framework of a
federal democratic Iraq a federal system.
As for the revenues of oil, as it has been
stipulated in the constitution with that, we are
with a fair distribution of the oil revenues all
over Iraq.
SECRETARY RICE:
Thank you. And as to the PKK, one of the points that
I made to President Barzani is that we have made
some progress on the PKK issue in the recent months.
General Ralston, who is a special envoy on behalf of
the United States, has been working on this issue.
Everyone needs to play a role: the Kurds need to
play a role, the Iraqis need to play a role and the
Turks need to play a role.
And I am just very pleased that there has been a
shutdown of PKK offices throughout the country and I
am very pleased that General Ralston will return
here soon to continue the process. Iraq's territory
can not be used for terrorism against any country.
That is an agreement of all Iraqis. And I think we
now are getting very good cooperation between Iraq,
Turkey and the United States on this issue.
PRESIDENT BARZANI: Thank you.
state.gov
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