John Kerry praises ‘friendship, bravery’ of Kurds in farewell letter

In a farewell letter to the President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, the former US Secretary of State praised the Kurds’ peaceful role in the Middle East. John Kerry, the former US Secretary of State, thanked President Barzani for his friendship, in a letter dated Jan. 19, 2017, disclosed by the Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP) on Sunday. “You have been a strong ally and a stalwart friend through these difficult years,” Kerry wrote to the Kurdish leader. Additionally, Kerry mentioned the role of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the fight against the Islamic State (IS). “Peshmerga forces have performed bravely, and I honor their sacrifices and those of the people of the Kurdistan Region in the ongoing fight to defeat [IS],” he continued. Moreover, the former Secretary of State applauded the efforts made by the Region to shelter and provide for nearly 1.8 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees. “I commend [President Barzani] and the people of the Kurdistan Region for embracing almost two million Syrian refugees and displaced people from across Iraq,” Kerry wrote. He also pointed to Kurdistan’s “support for ethnic and religious diversity,” adding it was “a strength that [would] contribute to the future prosperity of the Kurdistan Region.” The former US Secretary of State concluded by offering his best wishes to the Kurdish President and people of Kurdistan. “I value the strong bond between the Kurdish people and the United States, and am confident we will remain steadfast partners,” Kerry said.