EU CALLS KURDS TO UNITE

EU calls on the different parties in the Kurdistan Region (KRG) to cooperate instead of fighting each other and to respect democratic principles and values in order to restore the institutional order and press ahead with necessary reforms.

by Roni Alasor

Brussels, 16 December 2015 - Middle East Diplomatic (MED) - In a press release, the EU calls on the different parties in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to work together in a spirit of compromise to resolve the current political impasse through dialogue and moderation. The EU underlined the necessity of “unity and stability at a time when the Kurdistan Region is facing economic, social, humanitarian challenges and is making a substantial contribution to the fight against Da`esh”.

The EU also “invites the Government of the Kurdistan Region and all political parties to respect democratic principles and values in order to restore the institutional order and press ahead with necessary reforms”.

In its statement, the EU reiterates its call for the Federal Government of Iraq and the Government of the Kurdistan Region, to make all possible efforts to ensure that humanitarian aid is delivered to all civilians, in particular IDPs and refugees, including all vulnerable groups, in line with international law and humanitarian principles and again stresses the importance of offering equal protection to all ethnic and religious communities that are part of Iraqi society. “This is crucial to alleviate the suffering of all civilians and consistent with the objectives of avoiding further deepening of sectarian and ethnic fault lines, without impacting on the diverse and plural character of the Iraqi society. The EU also acknowledges the strong role played by the United Nations in coordinating much-needed humanitarian assistance”.

The EU remains committed to achieving lasting peace, stability and security in Iraq and the wider region, as well as to countering Da`esh which poses a clear threat to Iraq, our partners in the Middle East, to wider international security and to Europe directly.  The EU supports efforts by the Global Coalition to counter Da`esh, including military action in accordance with international law. It recalls that military action in this context is necessary but not sufficient to defeat Da`esh. The EU underlines that inclusive political governance is crucial to sustainable peace and stability in Iraq. It stresses that a strong and unified Iraq is key to resolving the present crisis and to the country`s long term development and prosperity.  The EU calls on the countries of the region to play a constructive role and support the Iraqi Government in its efforts to restore long-lasting peace and stability in Iraq.

The EU condemns in the strongest terms continued gross, systematic and widespread human rights abuses and violations, as well as the destruction of cultural heritage carried out by Da´esh. Whilst the primary victims of these acts have been Iraqi Muslims, persons belonging to minority groups, particularly Christians and Yezidis, have also been the target of Da`esh atrocities that are likely to amount to crimes against humanity. Those responsible for these crimes must be held accountable.

The EU welcomes progress in the fight against Da`esh that has been accomplished in Iraq throughout 2015 by Iraqi Security Forces including the Peshmerga, and strongly supports the efforts of the Global Coalition to back Iraq to counter Da`esh. The EU will continue to implement its Regional Strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the Da`esh threat and the Counter-terrorism Strategy for Syria and Iraq, with particular focus on Foreign Fighters, as its main framework to tackle the threat posed by Da`esh and its extremist ideology and it looks forward to the next six monthly report on the implementation of the March 2015 Strategy. It will in particular step up its efforts to prevent the terrorist financing, curbing its revenues such as illicit sales of oil and cultural artefacts. Efforts will also be multiplied to counter the terrorist narrative and improve information exchanges to stop terrorist foreign fighters. Moreover, the EU intends to deepen its political dialogue on these issues with its partners and in this context will seek to accelerate implementation of the strategies where possible, and refers to the outcomes of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 3-4 December 2015.