US Consul at Erbil: look for a good way to help the Kurdistan Region

2016-02-02 05:15:54 | (Voice of Iraq) - The US consul to the Arbil Roudao: looking for a good way to help the Kurdistan Region

Roudao - Erbil

US Consul-General said the Kurdistan Region, Matthias Mettmann They are preparing the plan with the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga forces and Sunni forces to restore the city of Mosul and Nineveh Plain from the grip of the "Islamic state", and confirmed that they are looking for a good way to provide assistance to the Kurdistan Region.

He expressed his country's determination Mettmann continue to support Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, through air strikes and providing aid and military exercises, describing the Peshmerga forces as a strategic ally of the US in the war against Atdh Daash.

Below is the text:

Roudao: Let's start from the war against Daash, when we follow the media, we find that all the news about Daash, consider how the United States to fight Daash in the region?

Matthias Mettmann: We have raised more important questions, about the work of the US consulate and the US government in the province of Kurdistan and Iraq, we have been engaged to develop a plan for the process of liberalization of Mosul and the fight against Daash, and this priority occupies the US government, that weaken Daash and Nfhalh with the participation of the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, this period held up the development of the plan for the Liberation of Mosul and Nineveh Plain, and we are working with the Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga forces and Sunni forces to develop a plan for this process, and we are confident of victory, and we will fail Daash in military terms, and Snkrjh of the region.

Roudao: Can you tell us when it is released Mosul?

Matthias Mettmann: I do not want to talk about the details, this process is managed by the Iraqi government, with the support and coordination of real commitment by the Peshmerga in the fight against Daash, with the coalition and the United States forces, and no doubt has the Peshmerga forces proved edited areas outskirts of Sinjar and Kirkuk that have experience good in defeating Daash, I want to express my appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Peshmerga heroine forces, as you know killed a large number of the Peshmerga, more than 1,300 martyrs and more than 8,000 wounded from the Peshmerga, any sense that the Peshmerga have a real commitment in the fight against Daash , and we respect this, and undoubtedly seek to thwart a final Daash and help the Peshmerga, and recognize the real threats that form Daash on this region.

Roudao: when attacked Daash to Kurdistan, Arbil, Obama announced that the red line and the Kurdistan Region is the only place where the saves of peaceful coexistence, and thus decided to support the Peshmerga air, consider how America for Kurdistan now?

Matthias Mettmann: no doubt we have been engaged to develop a plan for the process of liberalization of Mosul and the Nineveh Plain in full, and we intend to continue our support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region understanding is a red line for the United States, and Sndamanma through air strikes and providing aid and military training, the red line covers the whole of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region whole, we refuse to stay Daash anywhere else in this country.

Roudao: You and most Western countries say that the Peshmerga are fighting Daash behalf of the world, but the financial crisis has a big impact on the combat capabilities of the Peshmerga, children of Peshmerga fighters are hungry, and there to give it to the Peshmerga salaries, because America does nothing to resolve the crisis?

Matthias Mettmann: We know that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are facing financially difficult situation, caused mainly lower oil prices in the world, I have discussed the matter with the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to find a way and what assistance we can provide at this difficult time, we highly value the participation of the Peshmerga and believe as a strategic ally in the war against us Daash, we want to make sure that they have adequate support and strength in order to be an effective ally in the war against us Daash.

Roudao: As consul of the United States of America to the province of Kurdistan, you talked in your reports to the US State Department about the deteriorating financial situation of the Peshmerga ?, Are asked to provide financial assistance to the Kurdistan Region?

Matthias Mettmann: Yes, I spoke in my reports to the State Department for poor financial status of the Peshmerga.

Roudao: What was the response?

Matthias Mettmann: In fact, two days ago we talked about this subject, we will continue to search for the most appropriate way to help some of the problems faced by the Kurdistan because of the problem of the budget.

Roudao: America awarded funds to Egypt and other countries to strengthen their armies and its economy, why does not provide financial assistance to the Kurdistan Region?

Matthias Mettmann: Currently we do a number of things, provide humanitarian aid, as you know there are more than one million displaced Iraqis in the province of Kurdistan, as well as hundreds of Syrian refugees, We have provided more than $ 600 million in aid to them, and I'm by myself I visited a number of displaced persons and safer camps aid them $ 75 million as well, as we have for the Peshmerga military aid, we train two divisions of the Peshmerga includes four thousand fighters, and we intend to provide them with various kinds of weapons, including heavy and light weapons, and mechanical arms and military equipment, they need all the support in the area of ​​logistics Kjlat Humvees WAM rap, which is more than the capacity of the Peshmerga, the exercises have begun and wait for continuity in the spring.

Roudao: How do you see America put in the Kurdistan Parliament ?, What Qltoh for the presidency of the Kurdistan Region and the parties in this regard?

Matthias Mettmann: We believe it is important to find a political solution to those problems, we have a message and one of the political parties, both the Democratic Party of Kurdistan or the MDC or some Islamist parties, we consider it important to find a solution to the political process, the representatives of the political parties for a meeting, and we appreciate Massoud Barzani and his meeting with political party leaders, and I know that they have formed a committee to put several proposals to the political parties, to think about it, and we are pleased with these developments.

Roudao: the deterioration of the financial situation in the Kurdistan Region due to low oil prices, the government announced several reforms, how do you see this issue?

Matthias Mettmann: I was present for the seminar presented by the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, and highlighted the strategy to attract US companies to Kurdistan, and those reforms designed to raise government revenues and reduce their expenses, and they are looking for a set of methods to make way more room for the private sector, and certainly we support initiatives the biggest and the granting of greater motivation for the private sector, side is from my work requires encouraging US companies to work in the province of Kurdistan, and I think it's a way to make more diverse and less Kurdistan Region's economy dependent on the export of energy, to express this economic crisis more easily, without being subject to changes the oil world.

Roudao: Baghdad, Arbil deducted from the budget two years ago, and this is the main reason for the crisis, is it conceivable that the United States accept this pain and her hand in Iraq ?, America can not change these Iraqi politics?

Matthias Mettmann: We understand that there are some differences between the Kurdistan region and the central government in Iraq, and disputes related to the support of the budget and the export of oil from the Kurdistan region and export Kirkuk oil across the North Oil Company, and we believe that dialogue is the best way to deal with it, any political dialogue, we turn our the same message to officials in the province of Kurdistan, to the effect that they have to engage in dialogue with the central government in Baghdad, and directed our embassy and our ambassador in Baghdad the same message to the central government in Baghdad, in the sense we believe that it must be solved subject, but this problem is the problem of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government and they work common with each other directly to solve them.

Roudao: people in need of financial assistance, but the problem sustained two years ago, why did not bear fruit dialogues parties for any good results?

Matthias Mettmann: I think that there are a number of factors, the main factor is the political will of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government in Iraq to find a solution to this problem, we support greater cooperation between the Government and the wider Kurdish region and the central government.

Roudao: There are signs of the weakness of the US role in the region, and became an active role for Russia, Iran's influence in Iraq is greater than your influence, what is the reason for reduced American role?

Matthias Mettmann: Do not adapt to this view, the United States still has a strong role, we have a strong strategic agreement with Iraq, we formed an alliance currently includes more than 60 nations supporting the Iraqi government and the provincial government in the war against Daash, air strikes wage strongholds Daash in Iraq and Syria Every day, we are committed to the elimination of Daash, are committed to ensure the sovereignty of Iraq, we want a strong and victorious and democratic Iraq, and many are making efforts to this goal as part of the strategic agreement, this is our policy will continue.

Roudao: What are the priority for America ?, or a stable and democratic Iraq ?, seems to install democracy in a place like Iraq and Syria is not an easy job?

Matthias Mettmann: I think that there is some sort of commitment of the Iraqi people, they want democracy, and we support, there is a lively and dynamic political process in Iraq, there are a large number of political parties, and the right for people to participate in elections, and we extend our support to strengthen the institutions that support democracy, the situation in Syria more deterioration undoubtedly, concerns us achieve democracy triumph troops, At present they do not have a democracy, and we support efforts to change the Syrian regime, and we would like in the presence of a democratic government and a move to a transitional government in Syria.

Roudao: Visions of the President of the Kurdistan Region and the parties are identical on determining the future of Kurdistan, how the United States views the order?

Matthias Mettmann: Our focus is now on working with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in three areas, namely the war against Daash, and deal with the humanitarian situation in the light of the displacement of more than three Iraqi citizen, and political reconciliation, and we are confident that he will defeat Daash Finally, in military terms, but There must be a national reconciliation process, to restore trust and confidence of the three million displaced people in order to feel safe and return to their homes and their villages and towns in Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, Anbar and areas under the control of the Daash, At present we focus on these things.

Roudao: results of the referendum information, Is America will support the decision taken by the people of Kurdistan?

Matthias Mettmann: a diplomatic things we have learned is to deal with the situation existing, not with expectations, and the current situation is that we support the political reconciliation in the province of Kurdistan, and we support the war against Daash, and we will take the security situation here in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq for the better, and we support the continuation of relations between the presidency the provincial government and the Kurdish government in Baghdad, this is our policy.

Roudao: Kurdish leaders say that the Sykes-Picot agreement, and then to put a specific time, but circumstances have changed in the region, it is the Sykes-Picot ended for the United States as well?

Matthias Mettmann: I think this question historical, in this year going through a century of Sykes-Picot, I'm not familiar with the history, diplomat, but I, and I deal with the situation in Iraq, we are in a very strong war with security threats formed by Daash Iraqis living in Syria, too, We are currently focused on making sure defeat Daash and achieve political reconciliation, and re-displaced people to their areas after defeating Daash, we want to be to revive the economy of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, want to strengthen the private sector.

Roudao: the entire region ablaze, there are wars in the parts that have been split in Kurdistan, imagine that a change in the geographical map of the Middle East has become inevitable?

Matthias Mettmann: Iraq many religions and sects and creeds country and been that way for two thousand years, we believe in a unified Iraq, when I was Consul General in Basra for two years I visited Ziggurat of Ur in Dhi Qar province, the place where he lived the Prophet Abraham, and Abraham, the father of three major religions, is Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and Mtbao these religions live in together the region since two thousand years, I think the Iraqi people want to live in a country at peace with the various religious doctrines, and this is the goal of the US government, we believe in a unified an Iraq, a democratic Iraq is a sovereign, Iraq can save stability in the region, which is the goal of the strategic alliance between the United States and Iraq.

Roudao: You said that Assad lost legitimacy in Syria, how the rights of the Kurds will be there?

Matthias Mettmann: We have a special representative for this subject, I do not Assog Syria policy, all I can say that the Kurds in Syria will be a top aide in the liberation of tenderness, I agree with you and we believe that the current Syrian regime's loss of legitimacy, we want to achieve a political process, and support the role that practiced by some Kurds in the fight against Daash, when he talked about the liberation of Mosul and Nineveh plain, we also intend to edit tenderness during that process, and I think that the efforts of the Kurds in Syria and attempts to Sunni Arabs in Syria democratic forces would be very helpful factor in the liberation of tenderness.

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