Kurdistan Democratic Party delegation participates in 12th international conference of Asian political parties in Cambodia

A quest for Peace and Reconciliation

Hoshyar Siwaily

Foreign Relations Office

Kurdistan Democratic Party

Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Hon. Chung Eui-yong Chairperson of the ICAPP Standing Committee

Hon. Prak Sokhon, Chairperson of the organising committee of the 12th ICAPP General Assembly and the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Hon. Members of the ICAPP Standing Committee

Distinguished Delegates

Good Morning

I am pleased to be with you once again to represent the Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of the major political parties in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Our party has been the main coalition partner in the successive governments of the Kurdistan Region and an important player in the Iraqi politics since the fall of the former Iraqi regime in 2003.

The Kurds, as the largest nation without a state and the fourth largest nation in the middle East, are divided among four countries: Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Each of these countries treat the Kurds differently. While the Kurds in Iraq enjoy a good degree of autonomy enshrined in the federal constitution, the Kurds in the other three parts of Kurdistan still struggle to attain their national and cultural rights.

The Kurdistan Democratic party, since its inception in1946, has been in the forefront of defending the People of Kurdistan and establishing a democratic system in Iraq. The KDP combines democratic values and social justice to form a system whereby everyone in Kurdistan and Iraq can live on equal basis with great emphasis given to individual rights and freedoms.

Kurdistan Region of Iraq with a total population of more than 6.5 million is a stable and peaceful region. Its secular and democratic political system in a very volatile region has created the opportunity for growth and prosperity. The Kurdistan Region is well known for its religious and ethnic diversity and its policies designed to foster coexistence, tolerance, upholding human rights and combating extremism. Our Region and its Peshmerga forces played a crucial role in defeating ISISI and provided refuge for over 2 million IDPS and refugees who fled the atrocities of the notorious terrorist organisation.

The Kurdistan Region conducted a peaceful and transparent regional election one month ago monitored by the United Nations and hundreds of international observers, with a turnout of 72%. The Kurdistan Regional Government was commended for the orderly and democratic conduct of the election by the international community.

Dear Friends

After over a year of horrific war and bloodshed in the Middle East, the Region is at a grim crossroads. The wars between Hamas and Israel, Hizbollah and Israel and the role of Militias in Iraq have created an alarming situation with profound consequences to the stability of the Region and International peace. These wars must give way to negotiation and dialogue. The Kurdistan Region, in coordination and collaboration with the Federal Government of Iraq has done its best to keep Iraq out of this conflict and put pressure on the Iraqi militias to stop escalating the situation.

Finally, I would like to thank The Kingdom of Cambodia for hosting this conference and the Cambodian People’s Party for organising it. My sincere thanks to ICAPP for inviting us to this wonderful gathering.

Thank you and god bless you all.