KURDISTAN PRESIDENT BARZANI SENDS

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003691

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/I-POL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL IZ
SUBJECT: KURDISTAN PRESIDENT BARZANI SENDS
CONDOLENCE LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH


1. On September 5 Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani
addressed a letter to President Bush expressing
condolences to the families of the victims of
Hurricane Katrina. In lieu of an original letter,
the EQssy received a copy of the letter from
Deputy Prime Minister Rowsch Noori Shaways, a close
associate of Barzani.


2. A translation of the letter's text follows:

To His Excellency George W. Bush
President of the United States of AMERICA

We followed with shock and pain the effects of
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, and
other American cities.

We share the American people's grief and sorrow for
this huge catastrophe that has taken the lives of
thousands of victims and where the injustice of
nature has destroyed many economic organizations and
displaced millions of people from their cities.

We declare, in the name of the people of Kurdistan,
our complete sympathy with the families of the
victims. At the same time, we believe that with
your leadership, the American people, and the
support of all of the best people in the world, you
will deal with full courage with the effects of the
hurricane and will overcome the difficulties
resulting from it and will deal with prudence with
the future results.

Once more, and in the name of the people of
Kurdistan, a close friend of the American people, we
share your ordeal and wish you and the American
people all the best.

Masoud Barazani
President of the Region
Of Kurdistan

END TRANSLATION.

Satterfield