Masrour Barzani: Kurdistan Supports Christians' Call for Running Their Affairs

By Bas News
June 13, 2017

Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) Chancellor Masrour Barzani stated on Tuesday that Kurdistan Region will support Christians in Nineveh province to run their own affairs.   

Barzani posted a tweet after he received the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil Bashar Warda and Nineveh Archbishop Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf  to discuss the situation in the liberated areas of Nineveh as well as Kurdistan Region's independence referendum, due on September 25, 2017.

"I stressed Kurdistan supports their [Christians people's] calls to govern their own affairs and will continue to protect the rights of Christians and other groups," Chancellor Barzani wrote on his Twitter account.

Large swathes of Christian populated areas in Nineveh, which were controlled by the Islamic State (IS) jihadists in 2014, were liberated by Kurdistan Peshmerga forces.

Thousands of Christians have also taken refuge in Kurdistan where they enjoy full rights as the rest of the residents.

Read also: Masrour Barzani: Kurdistan Determined to Offer Best Model of Coexistence in Mideast
Bas News

June 13, 2017

Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC)  Chancellor Masrour Barzani stated on Tuesday that Kurdistan Region is determined to become the best example of coexistence in the Middle East.

Barzani's made the remark as he received a Christian delegation including archbishops of Erbil and Mosul, according to an official statement issued by KRSC's media office.

In the meeting, Barzani discussed with Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil Bashar Warda and Nineveh Archbishop Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf the situation in the liberated areas of Nineveh province as well as Kurdistan Region's forthcoming independence referendum in September.

KRSC Chancellor reiterated Kurdistan Region will continue to be a safe haven for all the people who flee war and violence.

Khalid Jamal Alber, the general director of Christians' affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, was also in the delegation who thanked Kurdistan Region for their hospitality and embracing the Christian IDPs and refugees.

The delegation said they regard Kurdistan as their own home and will never overlook the coexistence and brotherhood state offered by Kurdish people and authorities.

Chancellor Barzani stressed the tolerance culture and coexistence among the different components of Kurdistan will be reinforced.

"We in the Kurdistan Region insist and are determined to offer the best model of coexistence in the Middle East for the entire components of the Kurdistan Region," Barzani was quoted in the statement as saying.

Commenting on the appeal by Christians in the liberated areas of Nineveh province, KRSC Chancellor said Kurdistan Region continues supporting the rights and demands of the Christians.

"I stressed Kurdistan supports their [Christians people's] calls to govern their own affairs and will continue to protect the rights of Christians and other groups," Chancellor Barzani wrote in a tweet after the meeting.