The Honourable Mr George W. Bush
President of the United States
1600 Pennsylvania Avenur, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Stockholm, 7 May 2003

Dear Mr Bush,

As representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government of the Nordic countries, the Federation of Kurdish Associations and the Coordinating Committee for Kurdish Political Parties in Sweden, we would hereby like to express our sincere gratitude to the US Government for playing a decisive role in the fall of the Baathist regime in Iraq. For over three decades, the population of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan has at close hand experienced the brutality of the regime and is for the first time since the establishment of the Iraqi state, looking forward a future based on freedom and democracy.

In the light of the current negations regarding Iraq’s future political status, the undersigned would hereby like to draw your attention to a number of issues that we feel will be significant in ensuring the democratic stability for Iraq’s future. The first issue concerns Iraq’s political structure. As pointed out by the President on 6^th March, Iraq constitutes a society where the implementation of federalism can serve as an important model. The Kurdistan National Assembly also adopted a draft proposal on 7th November 2002 for a future federal Iraq. We believe that federalism will reflect the diversity of the Iraqi society and facilitate the initiation of a new Iraqi democratic identity through the concept of “unity through diversity”.

Federalism in Iraq can also be seen as a preventive measure by obstructing future centralist and totalitarian interests from seizing power.

Another prerequisite for stability in the area is the investigation of the fate of the hundreds of thousands of Kurds and Iraqis who disappeared during the Baathist rule. In addition, a system of compensation for those affected, both in terms of human and material losses should be installed and internally displaced persons who were forced to move during the Baathist regime’s “Arabisation” campaign be granted the undisputed right to return to their homes.

As a new historic chapter unfolds, we look forward to a peaceful transitional period, characterized by a productive and cooperative dialogue between all political groups. We welcome the indications that the future of Iraq is to be determined by the Iraqi people and believe that a swift democratic transition will strengthen the overall view that the removal of the Baathist regime is in accordance to the will of the majority of the Iraqi people.

We would once again like to thank you for your assistance, not least on behalf of the Kurdish community in the Nordic countries. Your continued support for Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan is both needed and much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Taha Barwary                                                              Keya Izol
Nordic Representative                                                    Chairmanp
Kurdistan Regional Government (KDP)                            Federation of Kurdish Associations in Sweden                                           

Burhan Habib                                                                Mohamad Sedik Imam
Nordic Representative                                                   Chairman      
Kurdistan Regional Government (PUK)                           Coordinating Committee for Kurdish Political Parties in Sweden