THE ROLE OF THE KURDISTAN REGION

That this House notes the continuing and strong security of the Kurdistan Region and the protection from ISIS given to Kirkuk following the evacuation of Iraqi security forces; further notes that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fleeing from Mosul have made their way to the sanctuary of the Kurdistan Region, where they are welcome, but which is also placing huge strains on the Kurdistan Region, already the home of over a quarter of a million refugees from the conflict in Syria and of previous flights by Christians and others from Arab Iraq; believes that the international community should do much more to partner the Kurdistan regional government and help it cope better with this influx of refugees; further believes that pressure should be placed on the Iraqi Prime Minister to lift his economic blockade of the Kurdistan Region which has meant that its civil servants, including its brave and effective Peshmerga soldiers, have not been paid for six months; and recognises that the Kurdistan Region has a vital role to play in any new configuration in Iraq.