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RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0504/01 0450545
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140545Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9620
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON IZ TU IR
 
SUBJECT:  Iraqi Kurdistan Region Media Summary -- 
      February 13, 2007 
 
¶1.  (U) This is a Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable. 
 
Kurdistan Regional Government Strongly Condemns U. S. Air Strike in 
Mosul 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2.  (U) The office of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) 
President Massoud Barzani issued a statement condemning the killing 
of Peshmerga soldiers during a U. S. air strike in Mosul last 
Thursday.  The statement says "We strongly condemn this ugly 
operation, especially because recently these attacks have been 
happening repeatedly and without any justification."  The statement 
added, "Kurdish citizens ask the commanders of American troops to 
investigate this operation, announce the result of the 
investigation, punish those who were responsible, and to know the 
real motives behind the attacks."  The statement also warns that 
there will be "painful consequences" if these attacks continue.  The 
statement was issued via the Kurdish Peyamner News Agency but has 
not been carried in any local newspapers. 
 
Continuing Coverage of Palestinian Representative's Visit to Iraqi 
Kurdistan 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  (U) Major Kurdish newspapers reported on the second day of a 
visit by the Palestinian Authority President's Special 
Representative, Jibreel Rajoob, to Iraqi Kurdistan.  Yesterday 
Rajoob met with Kurdistan National Assembly Speaker Adnan Mufti at 
the KNA building to discuss the strong historical ties between the 
Kurds and Palestine.  Mufti described the Palestinian visit as a 
reinforcement of that relationship and Rajoob expressed his 
readiness to sustain the relationship.  Mufti, in turn, expressed 
the Kurdistan Regional Government's support of the Mecca Agreement 
between Fateh and Hamas, describing it as a positive initiative 
towards a stable and peaceful Palestine. 
 
¶4.  (U) Newspapers also wrote about Rajoob's refusal to stand in 
front of the Kurdistan flag at a press conference following his 
meeting with KRG President Massoud Barzani on Sunday.  According to 
Awene independent newspaper, Rajoob and Barzani agreed to move both 
the Palestinian and the Kurdish flags away from camera view. 
However, in a clarification letter published in the PUK-publication 
Kurdistani Nwe, the political bureau of the KDP discredited this 
saying, "No flags were originally intended to be put behind speakers 
at the press conference." 
 
¶5.  (U) The same article in Kurdistani Nwe provides further coverage 
of the press conference.  Fadhil Mirani, Secretary of the Kurdistan 
Democratic Party's Political Bureau, Fadhil Mirani, said in the 
press conference that the KRG has not agreed to shelter Palestinian 
refugees.  "Fateh will open its office in Kurdistan," he said.  "But 
the office is going to represent Fateh as a party and will not 
represent the Palestinian Authority." 
 
Anniversary of PKK Leader's Arrest Sparks Protests for His Release 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6.  (U) On the eighth anniversary of the arrest of PKK President 
Abdulla Aujalan, Awene independent newspaper reports on scheduled 
protests organized by the "Aujalan Protection Committee" calling for 
his release.  On Thursday protesters will march on the Kurdistan 
National Assembly building in Erbil and deliver a petition to the 
parliament.  A similar protest will take place in Sulaimaniyah on 
Saturday.  A number of elderly women at the Makhmour refugee camp 
have also gone on strike for three days to mark the anniversary. 
 
Forty-Five Kurdish Asylum Seekers Deported to Erbil 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶7.  (U) Knewsdaily.net exclusive 
The Kurdish-language website Knewsdaily.net published an exclusive 
telephone interview with a Kurdish asylum seeker who was deported 
from the U. K. along with 44 others.  The group arrived to Erbil 
International Airport last night on a British military aircraft. 
"We were handcuffed and not allowed to get off the plane until late 
at night," the asylum seeker said.  Knewsdaily.net also contacted 
the President of the Iraqi Asylum-Seekers Federation in the U. K., 
Dashti Jamal.  Jamal said that his group had lost contact with 
relevant U. K. officials by the time the asylum seekers were on the 
plane to Erbil and could do nothing to stop the deportation. 
 
KNA Speaker:  Turkmen Will Be Second Ethnicity in Kirkuk 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8.  (U) Major media reported on a meeting between KNA speaker Adnan 
al-Mufti and a delegation from the International Republican 
Institute (IRI) in Erbil today.  In the meeting Mufti commented, "As 
soon as Kirkuk is back in the green line, Turkmen will represent the 
 
BAGHDAD 00000504  002 OF 002 
 
 
second largest ethnicity in Kirkuk after the Kurds."  He also said 
that the Kurdish leadership supports their Turkmen brothers wherever 
they represent majority in terms of population.  He continued that 
they have every right to take the rank of governor, mayor, or any 
other administrative position. 
 
Commentaries: 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶9.  (U) Awene independent newspaper ran an article by Jaza Muhammed 
that talks about the hopelessness of some residents and officials 
concerning the possible return of Kurdish-majority towns around 
Diyala Province to the Kurdistan Region territories.  He summarizes 
the views of two local officials.  While the head of Article 140 
Office in Khanaqeen is optimistic that the Article 140 Committee's 
decisions will be implemented peacefully, the Mayor of Qaratapah 
district anticipates a disparity in the execution of the plan.  He 
said there is lack of knowledge about how the plan is to be 
implemented and no visible action to execute the Article 140 
Committee's decisions at the local level.  (Note:  Article 140 
Committee resolutions are scheduled to begin implementation starting 
on March 15.) 
 
¶10.  (SBU) This media summary is completed by Press and Cultural 
Specialist Hama Othman.