IL 2 GIUGNO CELEBRATO AL CONSOLATO D’ITALIA DI ERBIL
(ANSAmed) – BEIRUT, 06 GIU – Alla presenza del console d’Italia Michele Camerota e di numerose autorità curdo-irachene si è svolta nei giorni scorsi a Erbil, capitale del Kurdistan iracheno, la celebrazione della Festa della Repubblica italiana. “E’ stata una festa molto partecipata, con circa 600 ospiti, tante autorità curde, imprenditori, esponenti del mondo accademico e della cultura, la collettività degli italiani qui residenti o impegnati temporaneamente”, ha dichiarato all’ANSA il console Camerota.
Tra i numerosi rappresentanti istituzionali curdo-iracheni, il capo del dipartimento delle relazioni internazionali del governo di Erbil, Safeen Dizayee ha espresso parole di “apprezzamento e gratitudine” nei confronti dell’Italia, non solo per la presenza del contingente militare, inquadrato nella missione Prima Parthica, ma anche per il dinamismo mostrato in campo culturale, facendo anche riferimento alle numerose missioni archeologiche italiane che operano nella Regione.
L’Italia, ricorda il console Camerota, è il primo Paese per le missioni archeologiche in Iraq così come l’Iraq è il primo Paese per contributi erogati dalla Farnesina alle missioni archeologiche italiane all’estero. Alla cerimonia erano presenti rappresentanti del contingente italiano, che fa parte della Coalizione globale anti-Isis e che è attualmente comandato pro tempore dal colonnello Stefano Salvadori. Nel suo discorso, il console ha ricordato “l’intenso dinamismo delle relazioni bilaterali” tra i due Paesi: solo un mese fa il ministro della Difesa, Guido Crosetto, era a Baghdad e a Erbil dopo che, a dicembre, il presidente Meloni aveva svolto in Iraq e Kurdistan la prima missione estera bilaterale dal suo insediamento”. “Lo scorso mese di aprile, poi, il presidente curdo-iracheno, Nechirvan Barzani, si è recato in visita in Italia, ricevuto da alte cariche istituzionali”. Sempre a Roma – ha ricordato il console Camerota – è atteso nei prossimi giorni il presidente iracheno Abdul Latif Rashid. Alla festa del 2 giugno c’erano inoltre “numerosi imprenditori curdo-iracheni che lavorano col Made in Italy”, accanto a una folta rappresentanza della comunità italiana in Kurdistan, tra chi lavora nelle organizzazioni internazionali, nelle Ong e in altri settori.
Safin Dizayee ha infine colto l’occasione per annunciare “il forte gradimento del governo regionale per l’avallo di Roma e di Baghdad ad elevare a Consolato Generale la rappresentanza diplomatica italiana a Erbil, a conferma del fiorente momento delle relazioni bilaterali”. (ANSAmed).
Italian Consulate celebrates Italian Republic Day in Erbil
“Italy is an ally of the people of Kurdistan and its forces have been able to play a significant role.”
Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2023/06/05 21:16
Italian Consul General Michele Camerota in his speech celebrated bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Italy, Erbil, June 4, 2023
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Italian Consulate on Sunday celebrated the Italian Republic Day in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, underlining the strong relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region in a very friendly atmosphere. pic.twitter.com/shjnmWQzXQ — Italy in KRI (@ItalyinKRI) June 5, 2023
“It is a big honour to welcome you and celebrate the anniversary of the Italian Republic and allow me to thank our sponsors for supporting us for this event,” Italian Consul Michele Camerota said in his opening speech.
Moreover, he expressed his pleasure that this national day was celebrated during his tenure in Erbil for the second time and attended by over 500 people, including Kurdish official authorities, other diplomatic representatives, academics, private sector companies, humanitarian and development workers, and the Italian community.
He reiterated his country’s commitment to relations with the Kurdistan Region in various fields and underlined that Italy is a key partner of the Kurdistan Region and the whole of Iraq, as shown by the visit of the Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto to the Kurdistan Region in May. Also in December 2022, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister (PM) Masrour Barzani and President Nechirvan Barzani received the Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in Erbil.
The Italian Consul also announced that his country’s representation in the Kurdistan Region is going to be upgraded from Consulate to Consulate General in order to strengthen further relations in the political, diplomatic, economic, trade and cultural fields with the Region. In addition, he announced that Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid is expected to visit Italy in the near future. He also concluded, “we pay special attention to the work of our archaeological mission whereas Iraq and Kurdistan are the countries with the highest number of missions on the field.”
Moreover, Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations, in his speech on behalf of PM Masrour Barzani, welcomed the upgrading of the Italian presence in the Region. “The increase in the level of the (Italian) representation from Consulate to Consulate General is a sign of Italy’s interest in the Kurdistan Region,” Dizayee said. “We welcome this step.” He also tweeted that “Italy is an ally of the People of Kurdistan, its forces have been able to play a significant role in the field of training and consultation of the coalition forces and benefit Kurdistan’s Peshmerga.” In his speech, he also thanked “our international partners for their support and assistance to the Peshmerga in difficult times.”
I was pleased to address Italian National Day reception organized by @ItalyinKRI.
On behalf of the KRG and PM Masrour Barzani, I extend felicitations to the friendly people and Government of #Italy and highly valued Italy’s role and support for Peshmerga and people of Kurdistan. pic.twitter.com/kGzKm5kQaE — Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) June 4, 2023.
He mentioned that Italy was one of the key members of the international coalition against ISIS and played an important role sending military advisors in “assisting Peshmerga forces against ISIS terrorists. We value this contribution, we appreciate it.”
Dizayee also stressed the need to hold the Kurdistan parliament elections on time in November and said he hoped the international community would play its role in the success of the electoral process in the Kurdistan Region and resolve the issues between Erbil and Baghdad through dialogue.
On June 4th 2023, we participated in the Italian National Day ceremony in Erbil. Italy is an ally of the People of Kurdistan, its forces have been able to play a significant role in the field of training and consultation of the coalition forces and benefit Kurdistan’s Peshmerga. pic.twitter.com/V7dowbMTe8 — Jotiar Adil (@KRGSpokesperson) June 5, 2023
Furthermore, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Spokesperson and Head of the Department of Media and Information, Dr. Jotiar Adil tweeted on Monday that “Italy is an ally of the People of Kurdistan, its forces have been able to play a significant role in the field of training and consultation of the coalition forces and benefit Kurdistan’s Peshmerga.” “The Kurdistan Regional Government will continue to strengthen diplomatic relations with the friendly countries of the People of Kurdistan, including Italy,” he added.
