Italy–Kurdistan Region relations
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Italy–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region[1]. Italy has a consulate general in Erbil,[2] while Kurdistan Region has a representation in Rome.[3] Relations are described as "strong" and Italy has a military presence in Kurdistan Region.[4]
Many high-level meeting have been held between Italy and Kurdistan Region. In November 2005, Kurdish President Massoud Barzani visited Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi in Rome,[5] and again in 2009.[6] In September 2012, President Barzani met with the Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi in Rome to discuss economic and cultural ties.[7] Barzani visited Italy again in May 2014, meeting Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini.[8] Three months later, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited Erbil to strengthen political and military ties.[9]
The two parties signed an environmental agreement in July 2017, aimed at assisting the Kurdish government with technology concerning climate change.[10]
Italian military aid to Kurdistan
In December 2015, Prime Minister Renzi decided to dispatch 450 Italian soldiers to Kurdistan Region, to protect Kurdish-controlled Mosul Dam as it underwent reconstruction by the Italian company Trevi Sp.A.[11] Furthermore, Italian soldiers have trained about 7,000 Kurdish soldiers, as of January 2017.[12][13] Regarding military aid, Italy has sent 100 machine guns, an undisclosed amount of anti-tank missiles and a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter to Kurdistan. Other aid include 2,000 rocket propelled grenades and one million rounds of ammunion, which Italy seized from a vessel bound to blockaded Serbia in 1994.[14][15] Kurdistan Region is also the base for 8 Italian helicopters; four Agusta A129 Mangustas and four NHIndustries NH90s.[16] In April 2017, the Italian Consul General Serena Muroni stated that Italy would receive 11 wounded Kurdish soldiers for proper medical treatment.[17]
During her trip to Erbil in July 2015, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti stated that "Italy stands behind Kurdistan in the “common challenge” of fighting the Islamic State group".[18]
References
- ↑ While Kurdistan Region refers to the autonomous Kurdish region in Northern Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan is a geographical term referring to the Kurdish area of Iraq
- ↑ "Consulate of Italy - Erbil" (in Italian). Foreign Ministry of Italy. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Kurdistan Regional Government - Representation In Italy". Kurdistan Regional Government. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Decades-long Italian-Kurdish ties strengthened in defense minister's recent visit". Rudaw. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Biography President Masoud Barzani" (PDF). European Parliament. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "President Barzani arrives in Germany to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel after Italy visit". Kurdistan Regional Government. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "President Barzani Meets Italian Foreign Minister in Rome". Kurdistan Regional Government. 22 September 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "Kurdish Flag Set Tone of Barzani's Meetings at Vatican, Rome". Rudaw. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "Iraq, visita lampo di Renzi a Baghdad ed Erbil. Parlamento decide per l'invio di armi ai curdi" (in Italian). Rai News. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Italia e Kurdistan iracheno firmano un accordo sulla cooperazione ambientale" (in Italian). Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "Kurdish PM, Italian military chief discuss military cooperation, Mosul Dam". Rudaw. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Pinotti visits Italian military in Iraq: training 25% local forces". OnuItalia. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Italian advisers train 7,000 Peshmerga soldiers: Coalition". Kurdistan24. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ↑ "Italy adds military muscle for ISIS fight". Rudaw. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ Jan Joel Andersson and Florence Gaub (July 2015). "Adding fuel to the fire? Arming the Kurds" (PDF). European Union Institute for Security Studies. p. 2. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "Italy to send helicopters to Erbil, 130 infantry troops to Baghdad". Rudaw. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "Italy receives wounded Peshmerga fighters for medical treatment". Kurdistan24. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ↑ "Italy behind Kurdistan in 'common challenge' of fighting ISIS". Rudaw. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
Further reading
- Giuseppe Campanile (1818). Storia della regione del Kurdistan e delle sette di religione ivi esistenti. Stamp. di fratelli Fernandes. p. 224.
- Galletti, Mirella (2001). "Le relazioni tra Italia e Kurdistan - La politica italiana verso assiri e curdi (1920-1943)". Oriente Moderno. 20 (81): 149–182.