A delegation from KDP-FRO visited Japan

A KDP-FRO delegation headed by Hoshyar Siwaily visited Japan and met the Foreign Office and the Japanese political parties. During the first meeting which was on 3rd August, the delegation met with Mr MORYAMA HASHI, the Head of Liberal Democrat’s international Department and a member of the Japanese Parliament who was also appointed as the Head of the Party’s block in Parliament during the recent reshuffle. The second meeting was with Mr MOTOHIRO OONO, the Deputy Secretary of the Democratic party of Japan, a member of parliament. and the Head of the Party’s International Department. The delegation also visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met with Mr Katsuhiko Takahashi, Deputy Director General of Middle East and African Affairs Bureau.  Mr Takahashi, who has visited Kurdistan, invited the delegation for dinner during which more discussions followed.

In all the meetings Hoshyar Siwaily provided a detailed account on the recent developments in Kurdistan and Iraq. Kurdistan Region’s role in combating terror in particular the war against the Islamic State and the successful conclusion of this war by the Peshmerga Forces. The referendum and the justification for conducting it on 25 September 2017, in particular Baghdad’s violation of the most critical articles of the constitution, were discussed. The challenges Kurdistan faced during the past three years including the economic recession, IDPs and refugee exodus and stopping budget transfers from Baghdad to Kurdistan Region were fully covered in the meetings.

The Head of the Foreign Relations Office while thanked Japan for assisting Kurdistan Region’s development programme over the past 10 years and providing humanitarian assistance to the IDPs and Refugees during the past three years, he asked for more direct assistance to Kurdistan Regional Government.

The receiving delegations appreciated the role the Kurdistan Region and its Peshmerga have played and expressed understanding for the desire of the people of Kurdistan to self -determination. They hoped that this issue to be resolved in a peaceful manner with the Government of Iraq.