Kurds Not Invited To Paris Summit On Combatting ISIS

[k98nights]

Kurds Not Invited To Paris Summit On Combatting ISIS

 

By Erin Banco @ErinBanco e.banco@ibtimes.com on June 02 2015 10:22 AM EDT

 

 

 

Kurdish peshmerga troops participate in an intensive security deployment against Islamic State militants on the front line in Khazer, Aug. 8, 2014. Reuters/Azad Lashkari

 

Members of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria met Tuesday in Paris to draw up a more cohesive plan to fight the Sunni militant group, but one key partner was missing, the Kurds. The Kurdish military wing, also known as the peshmerga, was not invited to the summit but is fighting the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, on the front lines in Iraqi Kurdistan. 

 

The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), the ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan, criticized the U.S.-led coalition for not inviting his men to the summit, claiming the peshmerga are the only forces stopping the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, from advancing on key cities in the country, such as the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

 

“The [iraqi] federal government didn’t invite any representative from Kurdistan to the Paris meeting and have participated in this gathering alone,” said a statement released Tuesday by the KRG’s Department of Foreign Relations. “The Peshmerga are the only forces that have so far bravely battled the terrorists and driven them out of our territories."

Envoys from the central government in Iraq represented the country at the summit, including Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Since its formation, the U.S.-led coalition has consulted directly with the central government in Baghdad on the fight against ISIS in the country despite relying on the peshmerga to lead the fight against ISIS in the northern part of the country.

 

The Kurds and Baghdad have for more than a year disagreed on the disbursement of weapons and on battlefield strategy, especially when it comes to leadership on the front lines. The two have also argued over control of oil. The KRG is in control of the majority of Iraq's oil fields and was hesitant to hand out export rights to the central government because it is struggling economically.

 

The exclusion from the Paris summit only further isolates the two parties and makes their collaboration with each other difficult , the KRG said Tuesday in the statement. 

“We were expecting the central government of Iraq as well as international community to respect the Kurdistan region and the Peshmerga and value the region’s great efforts to protect more than 1.5 million refugees despite our limited facilities,” the statement said.

 

 

http://www.ibtimes.com/kurds-not-invited-paris-summit-combatting-isis-1948359?

[magawatt]

Ackward?

The Kurds have been the most successful in fighting ISIS. You'd think their opinion would be valued.

[k98nights]

Ackward?

The Kurds have been the most successful in fighting ISIS. You'd think their opinion would be valued.

 

Agreed

[chess]

THIS JUST FURTHER ENCOURAGES KURDISTAN TO HAVE THEIR OWN AUTONOMOUS  STATE!!!

[nannab]

That is so wrong. The Kurds should have a front row seat.

[AustinMom]

I believe that the international community is trying to tell Kurdistan that they are Iraqi.  They are not viewed as a separate country, therefore, they do not need their own invitation.  They have to start working with Bagdad.  If Paris invited the United States to a meeting, and made a separate invitation to, let's say, Oregon, what message does that make?  Just my opinion.

[umbertino]

The nerve...Unbelievable.. ..Many  got killed all over the place ... Kurdish Men & Women Fighters. Honor to them.

[10 YEARS LATER]

BIG . . . VERY BIG MISTAKE !!!!!!!!!!

[sandfly]

YEP 10

[yota691]

Washington: Abadi, such as Iraq, including the Kurdistan region in the Paris Conference

Political

 Since 04.06.2015 at 09:10 (GMT Baghdad)

Follow-up - the balance of News

The US State Department considered that the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, such as Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional Conference in Paris, while confirming that it does not negate the support of the Kurds, who represent a vital part of its strategy.

Said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf in a press statement followed up / scales News /: "The Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, was a representative of Iraq as a country and one in the conference, and inclusive of the Kurds, too," afterthought by saying that "it does not mean that the United States does not support Kurds, who represent a vital part of its strategy, has supported them and will continue to support them. "

She Harff, that "the United States and the international coalition treasured great respect for the Kurds," pointing out that "the United States and the international coalition were from supporters of the powerful Kurdish forces and will continue this approach, and that both of Gen. John Allen, the international coalition's presidential envoy to fight al Daash terrorist and Ambassador Makourk, are based direct meetings with senior officials in the government of the Kurdistan region during each visit to Iraq and that they were continuing with this approach . " 29-3 / h