President Barzani Welcomes Dutch Foreign Minister Timmermans
During their meeting, they discussed at length the developments the Kurdistan Region has witnessed and the economic and political achievements in Kurdistan. Referring to the election campaign currently underway in Kurdistan, Mr. Timmermans lauded this important exercise in democracy by saying, “This goes to show that you have a vibrant democracy.”
They also talked about developing close economic cooperation between the two sides, especially in the agriculture sector. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, the Foreign Minister said. President Barzani said the KRG is very keen to enhance its agriculture sector and there is a lot that the KRG can learn and benefit from the experience of the Netherlands.
On the impact of the Syrian crisis on Iraq and on Kurdistan, the President said the crisis has a direct influence on Kurdistan. “The influx of more than 200,000 Syrian refugees into Kurdistan is a direct result of the conflict there,” said the President. "For us, the future of 3 million Kurds in Syria is important."
On the recent reported use of chemical weapons in Syria, Foreign Minister Timmermans said, “Of all the people, the Kurds know best the horrible effects of these weapons,” referring to the use of such weapons against the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988 by the then Iraqi regime.
The President said that those responsible for the chemical attack in Syria must be punished, and concurred with the Foreign Minister on Halabja by saying, “More than 5,000 people were murdered by chemical weapons in a very short time and survivors of those attacks are still suffering to this day.”
In concluding the meeting, President Barzani thanked The Netherlands and its people for their generosity in accepting many Iraqi Kurds as refugees in the past. He also expressed hope this visit by the Foreign Minister will open the doors for a close relationship between the Netherlands and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
