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France to open consulate in Iraqi
Kurdistan
1.9.2007
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September 1, 2007
Paris, -- France intends to open up a
consulate office in Erbil, capital of Iraq's
autonomous Kurdistan region, French sources have
told AKI.
The decision was discussed during French foreign
minister Bernard Kouchner's recent visit to Baghdad,
the sources speaking on condition of anonymity said.
The date on which the office would open was not
mentioned but the sources said that Paris has
considered opening a diplomatic posting in Kurdistan
before, but that the move was postponed because of
security concerns and the difficulty in maintaining
communications with Baghdad.
The sources denied that a French consulate in
Kurdistan would signal a willingness on the part of
France to give recognition to federalism in Iraq,
adding that the office would not work separately
from the French embassy in Baghdad and would only
handle consulate affairs. |
France to open consulate
in Kurdistan autonomous region |
The sources said the
decision to open a consulate in Erbil was taken
because of the economic and political importance of
the region.
However, they reiterated that Paris insists on
Iraq's territorial unity.
Former French president Jacques Chirac had discussed
the matter with his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani
during the latter's visit to Paris last November.
France which opposed the US-led liberation of Iraq
that toppled Saddam Hussein, has refused to move its
embassy to Baghdad's fortified green zone where the
US embassy and most of the Iraqi ministries are
situated.
Iraqi Kurdistan government announced last June that
to open 15 representations
abroad, The offices will be opened in
Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, the
Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and other countries
A Dutch consulate opened in July 2007
in Kurdistan region, following the inauguration of
the consulate, several projects will be implemented
by the consulate, an official from Kurdistan
Regional Government said in June 2007.
The Kurdistan region government announced that
Greece had decided to open a
consulate in Kurdistan.
Since 1991, the Kurds of Iraq achieved self-rule in
part of the country. Today's teenagers are the first
generation to grow up under Kurdish rule. In the new
Iraqi Constitution, it is referred to as Kurdistan
region. Kurdistan region has all the trappings of an
independent state -- its own constitution, its own
parliament, its own flag, its own army, its own
border, its own border patrol, its own national
anthem, its own education system, its own
International airports, even its own stamp inked
into the passports of visitors.
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