New US Consulate in Erbil Spells Danger for Region: Kurdish Politician
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iraqi politician denounced the US plan to construct its largest consulate building in the city of Erbil as a dangerous plot aimed at maintaining American presence in the region and pursuing the policy of disintegration of Iraq.
In an interview with Tasnim, Secretary General of the Reform and Development Movement of Iraqi Kurdistan Region Mohammad Baziyani said the US plan to construct its biggest consulate complex in Erbil reveals that “The US has devised plots for Iraq and the Middle East and seeks to implement them through the Kurdistan Region.”
Washington is still pursuing a strategy proposed by former US Vice President Joe Biden, which entails disintegration of Iraq into three federal regions, Baziyani warned, saying the US has plans to maintain presence in the Middle East and keep plundering the region.
The US considers itself as the main factor behind the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and would not abandon Iraq easily, the politician said, adding, “Such a major center (US consulate) in Erbil will be tasked with managing the US policies for Iraq and the region in future.”
Slamming the US as the “root cause of problems and crises that have gripped the regional countries,” Baziyani urged the KRG officials to act cautiously and not allow the region to become a base for US regional policies.
The KRG’s mistrust of the Iraqi government and regional countries’ failure to resolve Erbil-Baghdad disputes has forced the KRG officials to look for a reliable supporter, he explained, underlining, “We believe that the US is not a friend and supporter of any country and only supports the achievement of its own interests.”
His comments came a few days after US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman and KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani broke ground on the largest American consulate building in the city of Erbil.
Silliman said the construction of the consulate complex is a “strong symbol of the continued strong relationship" between Washington and Erbil.
The US initially opened a diplomatic office in Erbil in February 2007 and four years later upgraded it to a consulate general.
The new US consulate, which will be built on a 200,000 square meter piece of land, will cost $600 million. The construction project is expected to take four years, according to Press TV.
In 2009, the US inaugurated its largest and most expensive embassy in the world in Baghdad.
