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Senior KRG delegation visits Washington as US airstrikes and Peshmerga coordinate offensive against ISIS
THU, 18 SEP 2014 20:22 | KRG.org
Washington DC, USA (DFR.KRG.org) – A senior Kurdistan Region delegation is in Washington this week to meet administration officials, congressmen, humanitarian aid organisations, commentators and policy advisors as the Peshmerga continue their battle against terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
Dr Fuad Hussein, President Masoud Barzani’s Chief of Staff, and Kurdistan Regional Government Minister Falah Mustafa are updating congressional and senate committees among others on the political, security and humanitarian situation in the Kurdistan Region.
Minister Mustafa on Tuesday addressed a roundtable discussion hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. The Minister, who heads the KRG's Department of Foreign Relations, briefed academics, former senior US officials, and other influential foreign policy experts on recent developments in the military offensive against ISIS. He also updated the Council on the Peshmerga's coordination with US airstrikes, as well as the political negotiations with the new government in Baghdad, and the humanitarian situation on the ground. The Minister reiterated the KRG’s determination to defeat ISIS terrorists.
The Kurdistan Region currently hosts 1.4 million displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees, a humanitarian crisis that has the United Nations' highest risk rating. About 500,000 Kurds, Arabs, Assyrian, Muslims, Yezidis and Christians fled ISIS attacks in August alone. The Kurdish military, known as the Peshmerga, is fighting ISIS on the ground with the support of US airstrikes and assistance from several European countries.
Minister Mustafa was also hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel at a reception and roundtable. During the discussion, the Minister gave an overview of developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and answered questions from a bipartisan group of members of Congress.
On Wednesday, Minister Mustafa was joined by Dr Hussein and both were guests of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing on US strategy to defeat ISIS, in which the Secretary of State John Kerry testified. The delegation’s attendance was acknowledged at the hearing, with many members recognising the important contribution the KRG and the Peshmerga are making in the fight against ISIS. Many distinguished Senators sat in the hearing, including John McCain, Ron Johnson, Marco Rubio, Robert Menendez and Bob Corker, among others. Past members of the committee have included President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State John Kerry.
Following the hearing, Minister Mustafa had separate meetings with Senator James Risch, also of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and with Congressmen Dana Rohrabacher and Pete King.
Minister Mustafa and Dr Hussein also met with Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Chairwoman Kay Granger and Subcommittee on Defence Appropriations Vice-Chairwoman Nita Lowey to discuss American economic and material support for the KRG and Peshmerga forces. Both, the chairwoman and ranking member expressed their sympathy and assured their continued support for the people of Kurdistan.
Mario Diaz-Balart, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations also met with Minister Mustafa. While voicing the KRG’s gratitude for US efforts on Mount Sinjar and throughout the region, the Minister requested that the US continue to provide economic support for Kurdistan in order to defeat ISIS and provide humanitarian relief to the refugees and IDPs. Congressman Diaz-Balart said, "I am an admirer of the Kurdish people and it is an honour and privilege to be with the Kurds in their fight against this brutal organisation [ISIS].”
The Center for National Policy, a political think tank, hosted a lunch for the Kurdish delegation to discuss the latest situation in Kurdistan. Minister Mustafa said, "With the help of US airstrikes and support from the international community, the Peshmerga will continue to be a fundamental element in the fight against terrorism and we’ll continue to build them into a professional national army capable of both defending and at the same time be ready for battle to go on offensive when needed."
Dr Hussein appeared on PBS NewsHour and CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer to discuss the recent government formation in Baghdad. Minister Mustafa will appear live at 6pm local time on FOX News Special Report with Bret Baier.
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THU, 18 SEP 2014 20:22 | KRG.org
Washington DC, USA (DFR.KRG.org) – A senior Kurdistan Region delegation is in Washington this week to meet administration officials, congressmen, humanitarian aid organisations, commentators and policy advisors as the Peshmerga continue their battle against terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
Dr Fuad Hussein, President Masoud Barzani’s Chief of Staff, and Kurdistan Regional Government Minister Falah Mustafa are updating congressional and senate committees among others on the political, security and humanitarian situation in the Kurdistan Region.
Minister Mustafa on Tuesday addressed a roundtable discussion hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. The Minister, who heads the KRG's Department of Foreign Relations, briefed academics, former senior US officials, and other influential foreign policy experts on recent developments in the military offensive against ISIS. He also updated the Council on the Peshmerga's coordination with US airstrikes, as well as the political negotiations with the new government in Baghdad, and the humanitarian situation on the ground. The Minister reiterated the KRG’s determination to defeat ISIS terrorists.
The Kurdistan Region currently hosts 1.4 million displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees, a humanitarian crisis that has the United Nations' highest risk rating. About 500,000 Kurds, Arabs, Assyrian, Muslims, Yezidis and Christians fled ISIS attacks in August alone. The Kurdish military, known as the Peshmerga, is fighting ISIS on the ground with the support of US airstrikes and assistance from several European countries.
Minister Mustafa was also hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel at a reception and roundtable. During the discussion, the Minister gave an overview of developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and answered questions from a bipartisan group of members of Congress.
On Wednesday, Minister Mustafa was joined by Dr Hussein and both were guests of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing on US strategy to defeat ISIS, in which the Secretary of State John Kerry testified. The delegation’s attendance was acknowledged at the hearing, with many members recognising the important contribution the KRG and the Peshmerga are making in the fight against ISIS. Many distinguished Senators sat in the hearing, including John McCain, Ron Johnson, Marco Rubio, Robert Menendez and Bob Corker, among others. Past members of the committee have included President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State John Kerry.
Following the hearing, Minister Mustafa had separate meetings with Senator James Risch, also of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and with Congressmen Dana Rohrabacher and Pete King.
Minister Mustafa and Dr Hussein also met with Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Chairwoman Kay Granger and Subcommittee on Defence Appropriations Vice-Chairwoman Nita Lowey to discuss American economic and material support for the KRG and Peshmerga forces. Both, the chairwoman and ranking member expressed their sympathy and assured their continued support for the people of Kurdistan.
Mario Diaz-Balart, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations also met with Minister Mustafa. While voicing the KRG’s gratitude for US efforts on Mount Sinjar and throughout the region, the Minister requested that the US continue to provide economic support for Kurdistan in order to defeat ISIS and provide humanitarian relief to the refugees and IDPs. Congressman Diaz-Balart said, "I am an admirer of the Kurdish people and it is an honour and privilege to be with the Kurds in their fight against this brutal organisation [ISIS].”
The Center for National Policy, a political think tank, hosted a lunch for the Kurdish delegation to discuss the latest situation in Kurdistan. Minister Mustafa said, "With the help of US airstrikes and support from the international community, the Peshmerga will continue to be a fundamental element in the fight against terrorism and we’ll continue to build them into a professional national army capable of both defending and at the same time be ready for battle to go on offensive when needed."
Dr Hussein appeared on PBS NewsHour and CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer to discuss the recent government formation in Baghdad. Minister Mustafa will appear live at 6pm local time on FOX News Special Report with Bret Baier.
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