Skuratowicz concludes visit to Arbil

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs for Iraq, Jerzy Skuratowicz, concluded on 12 December a three-day visit to Arbil as part of his tour to bid farewell to Iraqi officials at the end of his tenure in Iraq by early January 2012. Skuratowicz  met with the Speaker of the Kurdistan Region Parliament, Dr.Kamal Kirkuki, the Minister of Interior of the Kurdistan Region Government,  Karim Sinjari and  Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations;  Dr.Dindar Zebari.Skuratowicz also met with Heiman Howrami the Head of Foreign Affairs of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and  Adnan Mufti, member of the Political Bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. They all thanked Skuratowicz for his remarkable contribution in leading the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and extended to him their best wishes of success in his future endeavors. “I have been extremely privileged to serve in Iraq at a very important phase of its history that has witnessed the tremendous efforts of this glorious country and its exceptionally resilient people to build a strong stable and democratic state after decades of suffering,” Skuratowicz said.“however, as much as it saddens me to leave, I am comforted with the strong belief that the Iraqis, leadership and people, will overcome the challenges that they are facing and that the promise of a prosperous future for all Iraqis will be fulfilled  by the Iraqis,” he added. Skuratowicz also discussed with his interlocutors a number of issues, including the current political and security situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, article 140 of the Constitution and the Disputed Internal boundaries and the role of the UN as well as developments in the wider region and Iraq’s relations with neighboring countries. It is worth recalling that.Jerzy Skuratowicz of Poland who has served in Iraq for the past two years will be succeeded by.György Busztin of Hungary who was appointed by the UN secretary-General on 9 December as his Deputy Special Representative for Iraq. SKH (TI)/SR 286