MLI speaks to Her Excellency Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s representative to the United States, about the recent Kurdish referendum.
OTTAWA, Oct. 31, 2017 – The Macdonald-Laurier Institute explores the future of Kurdistan in a new Straight Talk Q&A with HE Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman.
Today, Iraq and Kurdistan are in the middle of a great contest of wills: the will of the Kurdish people expressed in their recent independence referendum, and the will of the Iraqi federal government to keep Kurdistan in Iraq.
The important thing is to avert and avoid bloodshed, and to begin the conversation.
HE Abdul Rahman and MLI discuss:
- Why the Kurdistan Regional Government decide to proceed with the referendum;
- The dangers posed by Shia militias and Iran;
- The importance of Kirkuk for the Kurdish people;
- Canada’s possible role in the post-referendum dispute.
“We’re open to a dialogue on any subject. We haven’t said it needs to be about the referendum,” says HE Abdul Rahman.
“We’re open to discuss anything that Baghdad wishes to discuss. The important thing is to avert and avoid bloodshed, and to begin the conversation.”
To read the full Straight Talk Q&A, click here.
***
Her Excellency Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman is the Kurdistan Regional Government’s representative to the United States..
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is the only non-partisan, independent national public policy think tank in Ottawa focusing on the full range of issues that fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government.
For more information, please contact David Watson, managing editor and director of communications , at 613-482-8327 x103 or email at david.watson@macdonaldlaurier.ca.
