PRESS RELEASE  Kurdistan Regional Government / KRG Nordic Representation 27th of October 2001

At the start of a European tour, H.E. Nechirvan Barzani, the Prime Minster of Kurdistan
Regional Government and his delegation visited Sweden and met with officials at the highest
level.

On Thursday, 25th October 2001, the delegation met H.E. Göran Persson, the Prime
Minister of Sweden at the Parliament Building. A number of issues of mutual interests were
discussed including the internal, regional and international matters concerning Iraqi
Kurdistan.

On the same evening, the KRG Nordic representation hosted a reception in honour of the
visiting delegation that was attended by Foreign mission representatives, Swedish Foreign
Ministry officials, members of the Swedish Parliament, academic personalities and members
of the Kurdish and Assyrian community.

On Friday, 26th October 2001, the delegation was received by Ms. Anna Lindh , the Foreign
Minister and her team. The KRG Prime Minister raised a number of issues including the
International Sanctions on Iraq, the Oil-for-Food Program and the development of
democratic institutions in the region.

In both meetings, the Swedish officials reaffirmed their committement to continue their
political and humanitarian support of Iraqi Kurdistan through their UN and European
Community membership and welcomed closer cooperation and contacts in the future.

Also on Friday 26th October, a meeting was held with Mr. Carl Tham, Secretary General of
the Olof Palme International Centre, a think tank in Sweden that specialises in International
Development and Co-operation issues.

In addition, Mr Barzani and his delegation attended a large gathering of the Kurdish
community to which people had come not only from inside Sweden but also from other
Nordic countries. The event lasted two hours.

The KRG delegation included Dr. Shafiq. Qazzaz, Minster for Humanitarian Aid and
Co-operation, Safeen Dizayee, KDP Representative in Turkey, Fawzi Toma, Member of
Foreign Relation’s Committee and Taha Barwary the KRG representative in Nordic
countries.

Kurdistan Regional Government / KRG
Nordic Representation
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