Palestinian Consulate opened in Arbil

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: A Palestinian Consulate has been opened in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan Capital of Arbil on Tuesday, with the presence of Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani, in a step aimed at strengthening relations between both sides, according to the Region’s Satellite Site on Wednesday. “The Palestinian Consulate was opened in Arbil on Tuesday evening, with the presence of Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani, its Parliament Speaker, Kamal Karkuki and Premier, Barham Saleh, along with the Region’s Parliament members and the Palestinian Consul in Arbil,” the site reported, adding that the Palestinian Consulate is considered the third Arab Consulate opened in Kurdistan Region, after the Egyptian and Jordanian Consulates, along with 23 foreign consulates. Kurdistan President Barzani had expressed rejoice for opening the Palestinian Consulate, saying that “the step was taken after a visit by Brother Mahmoud Abbas for Kurdistan Region, early this year and an expression for the deepness of relations between the Kurdish and Palestinian peoples, confirming that “the step was important for strengthening relations between both sides and expressing hope for their further development on all levels and hoping that the Consulate would play its rolel in this respect.” On his part, the Palestinian Consul in Abil, Nazmi Azoury, said that “the said initiative has marked the burth of historic relations that link both sides,” expressing wish to “implement working parograms, based on the historic relations between both sides,” also expressin hope that “an active mechanism would be laid down to implement projects on all fields between both sides.” In a statement to reporters after the occasion, Kurdistan Premier, Barham Saleh said: “there exists a serious relationship between the Kurdish and  Palestinian peoples, and the opening of the Consulate has been an evidence for the size of attention by the Palestinian Authority for KurdistanRegion.” On his part, Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riadh al-Maliky, has expressed gratitude for the President of Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, for his opening of the Consulate building, saying: “the participation by the President of Kurdistan Region in opening the Palestinian Consulate, has reflected the deepness of relations between the Kurdish and Palestinian peoples and their Leaerships.” The Palestinian Foreign Minister had visited Kurdistan Region in February, 2011, where he met Kurdistan President and all other leaders of the Region, with whom agreement had been reached to establish relations between both peoples in several fields. SKH (TI) 5