In farewell message, outgoing UK Consul General in Erbil hopes 'Kurds remain united'
"The United Kingdom will remain a firm friend of the Kurdistan Region. And so will I, even though I'm leaving."
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a video posted by the British Consulate General in Erbil on social media on Friday, the mission's outgoing top diplomat, James Thornton, outlined four "wishes" he had for the Kurdistan Region.
"I'm very sorry to have come to the end of my posting here in Erbil," said Thornton, who began his term in July of 2019. "I've really enjoyed meeting Kurds and traveling around the Kurdistan Region."
Last message from British Consul General @UKThornton. He has four wishes for #KurdistanRegion.#TwitterKurds pic.twitter.com/FPNWcHyo7H
— UK in Erbil (@ukinerbil) July 2, 2021
"I will always remember the warmth with which I've been received. And I hope the Kurdistan Region will go from strength to strength," he added. "There is enormous opportunity here."
Along with Thornton, the UK Ambassador to Iraq, Stephen Kickey, is also leaving. To mark the occasion, the two diplomats met with top officials in the Kurdistan Region in late June.
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Thornton said in the video that his first of four wishes, as he leaves his post, is that "the Kurds remain united." He stated, "They do need to do so in order to do well."
He also hoped that "there is real economic transformation" in the Kurdistan Region. "The KRI could become the Dubai of Iraq, but that will require major reforms."
His third wish was for the region to maintain "the highest standards of human rights, including those relating to freedom of expression."
"The recent UN report points to things that need to be done on this matter."
Lastly, he hoped that the Kurdistan Region "has a vision for Iraq as a whole and works in Baghdad to achieve this."
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"A strong Iraq will benefit the Kurdistan Region," he said.
"The UK is doing a lot to support the Kurdistan Region; our foreign minister visited last month. We engaged on the Peshmerga reform, training of the judiciary, cultural protection."
Thornton ended his message by saying that "the United Kingdom will remain a firm friend of the Kurdistan Region. And so will I, even though I'm leaving."