Masoud Barzani: Kurdistan is not Afghanistan

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, expressed on Sunday his country's desire for Kuwait to participate in the "Baghdad Summit" at the highest levels.

In a statement issued earlier today, the Prime Minister's office said that he met with the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, in the presence of Crown Prince Mishaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah.

The meeting discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop them "to reach an advanced stage of integration and enhance the cooperation in the fields of economy, investment, industry, trade, and others."

The Prime Minister expressed "Iraq's appreciation for the position of the late Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, and the vision of His Highness Prince Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, in supporting and aiding Iraq, and in developing bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries."

"The Iraqi government is working to transform Iraq into a meeting point, dialogue, and exchange of views between the various parties, and intensify efforts to enhance international cooperation to support Iraq and strengthen relations with neighboring countries."

Shafaq News/ Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani assured on Sunday the people of Kurdistan Region that there is no similarity between the region and Afghanistan.

The Kurdish leader said in a message he addressed to the people in the region, "After the events in Afghanistan, a political and media wave has been working for days to sow anxiety and frustration among the Kurdish people by comparing the Kurdistan Region and Afghanistan. All parties should know well that any country if it does not rely on itself and on its own capabilities, it is always be threatened and destroyed."

"There is a huge difference between Afghanistan and Kurdistan. There were many differences between the Peshmerga and the Afghan army," he noted, "the Peshmerga is a product of a history of blood and tears for the people of Kurdistan, and the owner of hundreds of historical and heroic epics."

"Here, I would like to reassure the people of Kurdistan that the situation in the region is very different from all other places, and thanks to God, we have the brave and strong Peshmerga forces, and most of all, we are a nation that has the will of a cause."