On June 17, 2013 RIAC staff members Anton Tsvetov and Aleksandr Eliseev took part in the panel discussion "Iraqi Kurdistan: the new political and economic status and the strategy of Massoud Barzani" . The event was organized by the Carnegie Moscow Center.
On June 17, 2013 RIAC staff members Anton Tsvetov and Aleksandr Eliseev took part in the panel discussion "Iraqi Kurdistan: the new political and economic status and the strategy of Massoud Barzani" . The event was organized by the Carnegie Moscow Center.
The Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Russia and the CIS countries Xosawi Bebekir, representatives of the Kurd civil organizations, Russian experts on the Middle East, journalists and Kurd students studying in Russia were invited to take part in the meeting. Aleksei Malashenko, co-chair of the program "Religion, society and security" at the Carnegie Moscow Center, was the moderator of the discussion.
Issues of social and economic development of the Iraqi Kurdistan were debated during the panel discussion. In particular, the increasing role of the autonomy in the oil-extracting sector of the country was pointed out. The participants of the discussion also touched upon the issue of unification of the Kurd nation and creation of a Kurd state. The experts shared an opinion that at the current stage creation of an independent Kurd state is unlikely. The Kurd leaders should set the ultimate goal: whether to be content with being an autonomy within a nation-state or to try and create a unified Kursistan.
The participants of the panel discussion also expressed an opinion that the possible creation of a Kurd state will have a negative impact on the regional stability. Moreover, should it take place the question of responsibility will emerge: will the new entity be able to successfully perform the functions of a nation-state including representation of interests of all the Kurds on the international arena?
