Kurdistan Observer

In a statement published on the Kurdistan Democratic Party's website, Hoshyar Zebari, Head of KDP International Relations Bureau, has branded a report by the Kurdish Media as inaccurate and misleading.

Here is the text of Mr. Zebari's statement addressed to the Kurdish Media:

In your [Kurdish Media] article, 'The US must democratise Turkey before Iraq' posted on 15/08 ........you have quoted me a number of times and implied that I have spoken to your reporters, for example quoting me as saying:

'"Earlier this month Turkey withdrew Mr. Barzani's diplomatic passport and prevented American military officials at the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey from providing air transport to Mr. Barzani'.

The fact is that I have not spoken to any of your reporters at Kurdish Media, nor is the information in your report accurate, especially regarding the above quotation. In standard professional journalism, you must clearly represent the source of all quotations and it is highly unprofessional of you to misquote me and include comments I am supposed to have said in a report which merely
expresses Kurdish Media's opinions.

In the future I would expect you not to resort to this kind of misleading reporting and if you wish to know the opinion of the KDP on any matter, you should contact the KDP International Relations Office, rather than relying on second hand reports from unknown or disreputable sources.

Mr. Hoshyar Zebari.
Head of KDP International Relations Bureau