- Title: IRAQ: US DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE VISITS IRBIL
- Date: 1st January 2005
- Summary: (W5) IRBIL, IRAQ (JANUARY 1, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE AND HEAD OF KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY MASOUD BARAZANI AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.07 2. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English with Kurdish translation) U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE, SAYING: "Both Barazani and I have spoken about our friendship and allies and I'm convinced that if we are friends and allies, and we are, then we will find a way, a common solution to this difficulty. The full rights of citizenship including the right to vote is something that should be granted to all people and nobody should know that better than the people of Kurdistan" 0.43 3. WIDE OF ARMITAGE AND BARAZANI 0.49 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English with Kurdish translation) ARMITAGE SAYING: "For our part, we have had meetings with the Iraqi electoral committee, ah, commission rather, I did yesterday in Baghdad, and I want you to reference particularly my comments about article fifty eight (of the Iraqi Interim Constitution) and I think that not only the wrongs have to be corrected but they have to be corrected in a soon and as rapid a fashion as possible." 1.15 5. SLV ARMITAGE AND BARAZANI SHAKING HANDS 1.26 6. WIDE OF ARMITAGE AND BARAZINI LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE 1.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 16th January 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: IRBIL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVAA7HBU4IKLJSJLBHMUO2YFYECX
- Story Text: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
visits the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
visited the Iraqi city of Irbil on Saturday (January 1, 2004) and
held talks with Masoud Barazani, the president of Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP).
Armitage expressed full support for the Iraqi elections
to be held on January 30.
Addressing the news conference, Armitage said: "The
full rights of citizenship including the right to vote is
something that should be granted to all people and no body
should know that better than the people of Kurdistan."
"For our part, we have had meetings with the Iraqi
electoral committee, ah, commission rather - I did
yesterday in Baghdad, and I want you to reference
particularly my comments about article 58 (of the Iraqi
Interim Constitution) and I think that not only the wrongs
have to be corrected but they have to be corrected in a
soon and as rapid a fashion as possible," added Armitage.
Article 58 of the Interim Constitution states that the
transitional government "shall act expeditiously to take
measures to remedy the injustice caused by the previous
regime's practices in altering the demographic character of
certain regions, including Kirkuk."
Armitage handed over a letter to Barazani from U.S.
President George W Bush in which he expresses support for
the Kurdish people and their right to establish a
democratic state in a unified country.
Earlier Barazani said the Kurds would adhere to Iraq's
unity, even if Shiite Arabs who they worked with in
opposition to former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
dominate the elections as expected.
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