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House Members Seek Travel Advisory
Adjustment
11.2.2008
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State Department asked to alter advisory to
reflect the safety and stability of the Kurdistan
Region.
February 11, 2008
WASHINGTON, -- More than a dozen members of
Congress have asked U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice to review the current travel
advisory for American citizens traveling to Iraq and
revise it to make it accurately reflect the safe and
stable condition present in the Kurdistan region of
Iraq.
A letter, signed by 15 House members requesting the
change was delivered to Secretary Rice on Friday.
“To our knowledge, no Americans or citizens of other
nations have been harmed by hostile actions in the
Kurdistan region since the beginning of the war in
2003. Several other countries – including Austria,
Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Japan, and Great Britain –
have reportedly altered their travel advisories to
reflect this fact,” the congressmen wrote.
“If the current travel warning does not accurately
represent the conditions on the ground, it could
undermine our efforts to promote economic
development in Kurdistan and other parts of Iraq,”
the congressmen said. “In particular, the warning
may dissuade the U.S. business community from
investing and promoting the economic development of
this important region. If the Department believes an
adjustment to its current travel warning is
warranted and changes it according,www.ekurd.net
we believe the U.S.
business community would be more likely to engage
Kurdish officials in the development of Iraq’s
infrastructure.”
The House members praised the strong alliance
between the United States and Iraqi Kurds and said
revising the travel warning would send a strong
signal of encouragement and “further contribute to
the stability and prosperity of the Kurdistan
region.”
It is not unusual for the State Department to modify
a blanket travel advisory and mark a distinction
between safer and more dangerous parts of a country
as real circumstances on the ground change within a
nation; as has happened with Colombia.
Qubad Talabani, the US based representative for the
Kurdistan Regional Government said the request for
the revised travel advisory “underscores the
recognition that Kurdistan is safe and secure and
that all of its citizens are focused on creating,
sustaining and defending a new economy and an
emerging democracy.”
“We are gratified that so many members of the House
and Senate have visited Kurdistan to see firsthand
the work we have accomplished and where we plan to
go,” Talabani said. He added, “We are thankful for
those 15 members who have asked the State Department
to make a more accurate and fair advisory in regard
to the part of Iraq where so many are working so
hard – and succeeding – to establish peace and
progress.”
Contact: Tom Squitieri, +1.202.637.2496/
+1.202.257.7984
krg org
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