KURDISTAN : BARZANI IS THE NEW IRAQI KURDISTAN PRESIDENTMassoud Barzani, a former rebel leader and the son of the nationalist hero Mullah Mustafa Barzani, is the
first president of Iraqi Kurdistan,
"I promise to safeguard the accomplishments of Kurdistan and to carry out my duties faithfully," he told the National Parliament after the election.
"I will do my best to strengthen national unity and brotherhood between Kurds and Arabs... The national unity of Kurdistan is a national unity for Iraq," said Barzani.
David Satterfield, US assistant for Near Eastern affairs, seemed satisfied about the new president,
"Iraqi Kurdistan has now embarked on Iraq's first real experience of democracy with elections and a new government,"
"The people of this region in particular have endured countless struggles, countless tragedies, and have lost successive generations of their sons in the struggle to secure basic rights."
"A progressive, prosperous Kurdistan will help build a democratic, unified and prosperous Iraq," said Satterfield.
al-Jazeera
Il Romanaccio at 12:27 PM