Deputy Speaker Hawrami meets with US Consul General Rob Waller

Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami on 15 June welcomed the US Consul General in Kurdistan Region Mr. Rob Waller.

Consul General Waller expressed his condolences on the killing of six Peshmerga soldiers by the PKK on 5 June, and hoped for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Mr. Waller asked about the latest steps taken to work on a Kurdistan Constitution, and the latest work by Parliament’s committees on the Bill on the Special Court in Kurdistan Region for the Crimes by ISIS.

Deputy Speaker Hawrami explained the meetings that Parliament’s Presidency and the President of Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani have had with Kurdistan’s political parties to create a positive environment and pave the way for writing the Constitution. He also outlined the preparation of the Kurdistan Region Budget Bill.

On the situation in Kurdistan Region’s border areas, Dr. Hawrami said that the Kurdistan Parliament is against war and has many times called for the PKK and Turkey to solve their conflict through dialogue or take their conflict away from Kurdistan Region.

He explained the PKK’s movements which give Turkey’s forces a pretext to attack, and the damage to villagers’ livelihoods and lands that the PKK’s actions have caused to hundreds of villages.

Consul General Waller said that the US’s position on the PKK is clear, which is that it is designated as an organization that carries out terrorism. He said that after the PKK’s ambush on the Peshmerga, the US Consulate General issued a statement conveying condolences for the death of the Peshmerga soldiers and condemning the PKK’s act.

The Deputy Speaker and Mr. Waller agreed on the importance of continuing to strengthen ties between Kurdistan Region and the US.