RRT ERBIL: LETTER FROM KRG PRESIDENT BARZANI TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000138

SIPDIS

FOR NEA-I-POL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR IZ
SUBJECT: RRT ERBIL: LETTER FROM KRG PRESIDENT BARZANI TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA

Classified By: PRT Team Leader Lucy Tamlyn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

This is an Erbil Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable.


1. (SBU) RRT Erbil received the following letter from
Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani for
transmission to President Obama. Hard copy will be sent via
courier service to NEA-I-POL.


2. (C)Begin text:

President Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, D.C.
United States of America

Salahaddin
Kurdistan Region, Iraq

12 January 2009

Dear President Obama,

On behalf of the people of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and
myself, I would like to once again wish you a Happy New Year
and warmly congratulate you on becoming the President of the
United States of America.

I am writing this letter to you, Mr. President, to briefly
outline the policy of the Kurdistan Region on several
important issues in Iraq.

The people of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq suffered immensely
under the former Iraqi regimes. In 1980s, more than 180,000
Kurds disappeared (in italics) or were killed by the former
regime of Saddam Hussein. Thousands of our villages were
razed to the ground. Our people faced a well-documented
genocide and this has been recognized by the Iraqi
parliament, the Iraqi presidency and the Supreme Iraq
Criminal Tribunal. In the new Iraq, we will do all we can to
ensure that our people never again face such suffering.

The political process in Iraq is moving forward and there
have been many other positive developments in Iraq since

2003. Despite this, however, Iraq still faces many
formidable challenges. Terrorism, sectarian violence,
regional interference in Iraq and attempts to abandon the
Iraqi Constitution are all sources of concern. We in the
Kurdistan Region will always be part of the solution to these
problems.

We in the Kurdistan Region will be unwavering in our support
for the democratic process in Iraq. We will remain part of
the political process of an Iraq that is committed to
democracy. We will resist any attempts to derail Iraq,s
progress, to return to the dictatorship and authoritarianism
of the past. We firmly believe that federalism is good for
Iraq. Federalism will strengthen democracy and will help
improve security in Iraq.

We fully support the recent agreements signed between the
United States and Iraq. We believe the agreements are in the
interests of all the people of Iraq, including the Kurdistan
Region and the United States.

We believe that Iraq needs rapid economic development.
Iraq,s economy is mainly dependent on its oil.
Unfortunately, the federal government,s handling of the oil
sector has not been promising so far. In order to rebuild
and develop Iraqi infrastructure and economy, Iraq, oil
production and exports must be increased. We in the
Kurdistan Region can play a role. We have signed several oil
contracts to increase oil production and exports. These
contracts are in the interest of the people of Iraq. As a
result of lack of clear oil policies from the federal
government, the country is facing many economic challenges.

Regarding the so called "disputed areas" (in italics, in
original) including the status of Kirkuk, we believe that the
Iraqi Constitution, through Article 140, has set out a clear
roadmap for the peaceful resolution of the status of these
areas. The status of these areas should be decided by a
popular referendum. As an integral part of Iraq, we in the
Qpopular referendum. As an integral part of Iraq, we in the
Kurdistan Region will provide peace and security in these
areas. These areas have suffered a lot of violence and
terrorism due to a lack of security. We will ensure that
they enjoy the same levels of peace, security and democracy
that now exist in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

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Iraq is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. We
believe in the rights of all ethnic and religious communities
in the Kurdistan Region including those of Turkomens,
Assyrians, Chaldeans, Muslims, Christians, Yezidis and
others. The identity of every religious and ethnic community
is respected in our Region. In fact, in the past few years,
many members of these communities have fled violence and
terrorism in other parts of Iraq to seek protection and
refuge in the Kurdistan Region. In our draft constitution
for the Kurdistan Region, we have ensured that religious,
political and cultural rights of all ethnic and religious
minorities in the Kurdistan Region are guaranteed.

I seek your support, Mr. President, for our policies. We
believe that our policies are in the interests of all the
people of Iraq.

Finally, Mr. President, I look forward to continued strong
relations between the United States and Iraq ) including the
Kurdistan Region. We consider ourselves allies of the United
States and this alliance will only benefit security and
stability in Iraq and in the wider Middle East.

With warmest personal regards,

Yours very sincerely,
(Signed)
Masoud Barzani
President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

End text.
CROCKER