Attending the 14^th Field Technologies Fair in Konya, Abdusettar Majid, Minister of Agriculture of Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government, was prevented from speaking Kurdish.

Speaking to ILKHA, Minister Majid said:

“First of all, protocol was very nice to us. We had a meeting with Minister of Customs and Trade and Agriculture Minister before the event. I spoke Kurdish at this meeting. My speech was translated into Turkish by a translator. We hadn’t had any problem during this meeting and it was quite a fruitful meeting. And we were stood on ceremony by everybody.”

“These attitudes don’t contribute anything at the point of solution of Kurdish problem”

“The authorities in the fair asked me to make my speech either in English or in Turkish but I didn’t accept it.” said Majid adding that: “Everything started very well. We told the fair committee that we want to make a speech about the fair and our names was registered by authorities. Then we were told that ‘we have a translator but nevertheless you have to make your speech either in Turkish or in English. I told them that I knew English but I want to make my speech in Kurdish. They didn’t accept it and they said to us that they had no time for my speech. In fact I would tell them the good things about the fair. But it didn’t behoove them to treat us like that. These attitudes don’t contribute anything at the point of solution of Kurdish problem.”

“Not an act Turkey’s people approve”

Regarding organization committee as responsible for this misconduct, Majid said: “This prevention was a personal act. We forwarded our uncomfortable feelings to Governor and Mayo. Governor said to us that he was in complete ignorance of this event. This wasn’t an act that can be approved by Turkey’s people but a manner adopted by organization committee. Governor Muammer Erol and Mayor Tahir Akyürek both expressed their regrets.” (ILKHA)