BRUSSELS - A newly formed Joint Parliamentary Committee between the European Parliament and Baghdad should start working after Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary election, Iraq’s ambassador to Belgium told Rudaw in an interview on Tuesday.
“This committee is very important because they can bring… those matters important to Iraq… bring those important topics and discuss them with European parliamentarians and take them to the European Parliament and issue statements, determine the work and framework of activities,” said Ambassador Berivan Doski.
The committee was formed as part of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Iraq and the European Union signed in 2012 that details wide-ranging cooperation in multiple fields including security, trade, investment, human rights, the environment, migration, and the rule of law.
Doski said the committee was established in May and should begin work this year, though it may be delayed because of Iraq’s November parliamentary election.
One area of shared interest is migration. Many European nations are tightening their borders and stepping up deportations. Germany has deported hundreds of Iraqis this year.
The following is the full transcript of the interview with Berivan Doski:
Rudaw: This is the first time a Kurdish woman has become Iraq's ambassador to Belgium. How long have you been Iraq's ambassador here?
Berivan Doski: Thank you very much Alla to you and Rudaw's staff for coming, I’m very happy. I've been here for four years now. I've been working at Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 18 years. I was in Damascus for four years, in Madrid for four years, in South Africa for a year, and I've been here for four years now.
You have been here for four years as a diplomat?
When I came four years ago, I was deputy ambassador. I worked as deputy ambassador for nearly three years, afterwards our ambassador was transferred. Fortunately, since the beginning of November I've been the ambassador here. This embassy is accredited to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO, meaning we are four embassies in one embassy.
That's important. Now the issue of migrants is a very important issue in Europe. To what extent are you informed about deporting migrants, or regarding young people coming from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region? To what extent are you in contact with the European Union or with Belgium and Luxembourg on this matter, or are you informed?
There have been negotiations for several years between Iraq and the European Union and its member states on this matter. As you know, Iraq's constitution has allowed people to travel freely, to settle freely, to settle wherever they want. Iraq also hasn't prevented its people from traveling or leaving legally when traveling. But when the European Union or EU member states or anywhere in the world forcibly send people back, that's their policy, it has nothing to do with Iraq. Their policy is they don't want to keep people. When people are expelled, Iraq doesn't close its doors to its own people. It's the right of every Iraqi citizen to return to Iraq and live in Iraq. Therefore, Iraq doesn't like people being forcibly returned. At the same time, it doesn't like those who take people illegally and take a lot of money from them and put them in great danger. Of course, Iraq doesn't like that.
Do they inform you or ask help with the deportation of Iraqis?
You know how it is? If they don't have documents, they contact the embassy. We don't give anyone documents unless we're 100 percent sure they're Iraqis. After we interview them, we scrutinize their IDs. We don't give documents to anyone we're not sure is Iraqi. After they're given documents, then that country may use those documents.
You're from Duhok. To what extent do you have connections with Duhok and how many years did you live there? Tell us about your life.
[Speaking in Baidini] Until now I've answered in the Sorani dialect because you also asked me questions in Sorani. I want to send a greeting in the Badini dialect. I am from Duhok. I grew up in Duhok, until I finished high school I was in Duhok. I also finished four years of university at Mosul University. You know how our Kurdish circumstances were - we left Duhok and became Peshmerga. We've seen Peshmerga life, we've seen displacement. So I have many beautiful memories of Duhok.
When European Union countries or a European country like Belgium sees that you're a Kurdish woman who is Iraq's ambassador, what do they say?
You know what? European countries are developed countries. They like to see women working in all fields. Therefore, first, it's appreciated. Second, the rate of progress of any country is measured by women's progress, really. When it's seen that women have reached leading positions and participate in governance and participate in all the work that runs society, that's evidence that this society has gone through a long phase of struggle and stabilization and shows that this country is a developed place. Therefore it's also a source of happiness for the European Union to see a woman in such a position.
The third thing I want to say is they're happy to see that the old Iraq no longer exists. A Kurdish woman who until yesterday was a Peshmerga is now doing diplomatic work on behalf of Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is also a source of happiness. This is very important both for Iraq and for us as a nation that until yesterday was oppressed within the framework of Iraq. Now we have a different situation. Now we are partners in Iraq. We want to build it together.
You lived in the UK for fifteen years, you've been doing diplomatic work for 18 years. With all this experience you're also a mother. Really, the duty of a mother isn't easy. How were you able to reach this position?
Let me tell you something. Iraqi women in general, but Kurdish women in particular, are very strong. We Kurdish women are known for being strong, really. We must look to our predecessors, look to our mothers, look to other people. We mustn't lose this strength we have, we must take it further forward. Perhaps my circumstances also made me work more. I was in Europe, in a society that was unfamiliar to me. I had to support myself, support my children and study. Along with that, I was studying and working and raising children and we didn't abandon our cause. Whether social causes or the Kurdish cause, I've never abandoned that abroad. I've done all kinds of work and raised my children. I have two sons, both have completed their education, thank God, and are successful in life…
Kurdish women - now the strength and ability of Kurdish women has echoed around the world. That is, for me who has worked a lot, there are people who have made sacrifices and given their lives for their cause, for their country, everyone fights in their own way and delivers their message. And I hope in these remaining years I'll continue to deliver my message in the same way…
I go to work at nine o'clock. As the English say, I'm an early bird. Like a sparrow I get up early in the morning, but our work starts at nine o'clock. From nine o'clock when I go to work, then the previous day's letters come to me and I deal with it. Then we prepare reports. After that we welcome guests or we have visits to official parties here. It's also nice when you see the results of your work and know things have been done well. It's nice. Our day doesn't end - it's all work.
The European Parliament represents more than 500 million people in Europe. How is the relationship between the European Parliament and Iraq?
The relationship between the European Parliament and Iraq in general is an excellent one. Our relationship is within the framework of partnership and cooperation agreement. As I mentioned before, there are four committees within the framework of the agreement. Today I visited here to prepare for the Cooperation Council meeting on the 19th of the month here at ministerial level - the foreign minister and the EU minister of foreign relations. Besides that, as I said, we have four committees within the framework of this relationship. We have a lot of joint work and mutual interests together.
Besides that, in May of this year, the Joint Parliamentary Committee was established, which is also a very important committee. Since the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2012, one of the points within the framework of this Partnership and Cooperation Agreement is that a joint parliamentary committee should be established. This year it was established. This committee is very important because Iraqi parliamentarians and European Parliament members can create a joint committee called the Parliamentary Committee, the Parliamentarians' Committee. This committee is very important because they can bring those things, those topics, those matters important to Iraq, with those representatives of the Iraqi people with all its components, bring those important topics and discuss them with European parliamentarians and take them to the European Parliament and issue statements, determine the work and framework of activities.
How much does this benefit the Kurds?
This is like all other groups of Iraq. This is for all components. In the Iraqi Parliament there are also Kurdish representatives like representatives of other components. These representatives protect the interests of their people. The representative from Erbil protects the interests of Erbil's people, the representative from Baghdad likewise, from Basra likewise, from Duhok likewise. Those representatives who consider the interests of the Iraqi people bring common issues and discuss them with European parliamentarians.
When will they start working?
They should start working this year, but Iraq's elections are coming up. I think things will be postponed until after Iraq's elections and after the formation of the government. Therefore, things will be delayed a bit. But since May this committee has been established and we hope to advance the work and strive to make this committee effective.