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Video: ‘Home away from home’ for Kurds in Austria

MON, 16 JUL 2012 17:03 | KRG.org

Austria’s ORF television reports on the opening of the KRG Representation in Austria, which has a special relationship with the Kurdistan Region. The report is in German, an English transcript is available below.



English translation of the news report’s transcript.

Presenter: With about 30 million people, the Kurds are the world's largest nation without a state. Their area of settlement was divided after World War I between the then newly formed states of Syria, Iraq, the Turkish Republic, and Iran.

For several years now, the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq has been seeking to develop further links with the international community. Now, an official Representation office of Kurdistan-Iraq was opened in Austria. The objective of this mission is to continue deepening the relations between the Republic of Austria and the Region in Northern Iraq on several levels. (Merjem Cita was attending the opening for us.)

Reporter: A historic day for us Kurds from Iraq. With these words, the official Representation of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq was inaugurated on Thursday in Vienna. It is now the 13th Representation that wants to expand its relations with the international community. But the special relationship to Austria is always emphasized.

Dr. Mustafa Ramazan: We will never forget this support.

Presenter: The assistance in dealing with the poison gas massacre in Halabja in 1988, the mass escape from the forces of Saddam Hussein in 1991, and the inclusion of refugees already in 1976 will not be forgotten. The physician, Dr. Mustafa Ramazan was one of these refugees at the time. Now he is the Head of the new Representation.

Dr. Mustafa Ramazan: Today, I have the honour of representing our government here as well. This has become my second homeland, Austria. I have spent more than half of my life here, so I feel at home both here and in Kurdistan.

Ala Uzeri: Of course it is also very nice for us personally, that we as Kurds finally have a voice that represents us.

Presenter: The capital of the de facto sovereign Kurdistan Region is Erbil. Its autonomy is founded in the new constitution of Iraq. Its positive economic prospects for the future are based on the peaceful security situation in this Region. In Austria, there are living an estimated 5,000 from Iraq, and they are pleased with the Region’s accomplishments, here and in Kurdistan.

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