Brussels, 24/08/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Sunday 23 August, the European Union officially opened a liaison office in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
“We seek the support of the EU to enhance our system of governance and we believe that the Kurdistan Region is entitled to receive its fair share of assistance from the EU-Iraq Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed on 11 May 2012”, said Nechirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the autonomous region, at the inauguration of the European liaison office. The inauguration was also attended by the head of the EU delegation in Iraq, Jana Hybaskova, the regional government's foreign affairs department reports on its website.
Barzani called for European political and moral support for the work of his regional government so that the crimes and violence against the Yezidi Kurdish community might be described as crimes against humanity. “The international community cannot turn a blind eye to the mass atrocities committed against Yezidi Kurds and other components”, he said.
In May, the EU opened a humanitarian office to channel European humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people who fall victim to Islamic State jihadists (see EUROPE 11139). (Mathieu Bion)