Trump will accept independent Kurdistan if Iraq agrees: AMCT Spokesman

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) – A member of the newly elected president of the United States Donald Trump's American Middle East Advisory Committee (AMCT) on Friday said the new administration respects the people of the Kurdistan Region and their struggle for independence.

Sam Yono, a member and spokesperson for American Middle East Coalition for President-elect Donald Trump, spoke to Kurdistan24 via Skype to discuss the US’ role in the Middle East, specifically regarding the Kurds.

“We have a tremendous respect for the Kurdistan Region [and] for the leadership in Kurdistan from President [Masoud] Barzani to Prime Minister Nechirvan [Barzani] to the parliament,” Yono said.

The AMCT member also addressed the Region’s burden of housing nearly 1.8 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees since the war with the Islamic State (IS) began in 2014.

“We acknowledge all the efforts [made] toward the displaced and the refugees in [the Kurdistan Region],” he continued.

The AMCT member expressed his gratitude at the continued struggle and success of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces who are participating in the offensive to liberate Mosul from IS.

Yono explained the new US administration would consider all the efforts made by the Region once planning begins “on the drawing board” to discuss Kurdistan’s role in the Middle East.

Moreover, Yono stated president-elect Trump would not “stand in the way” of Kurdish independence as long as there is an agreement between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

“We would like to see a worksheet, a platform from [the Kurdistan] government as soon as possible so it can be reviewed, discussed, and talked about so we can move in the right direction,” he told Kurdistan24.

“If the program benefits the citizens of the region in Kurdistan and in Iraq and there is an understanding and approval by the country of Iraq, I don’t believe president-elect Trump will stand in the way,” he continued.

“Nothing is impossible,” Yono concluded.

Editing by Ava Homa