US Consul General’s behavior constitutes ‘colossal violation’ of international diplomatic codes, says Kurdish lawmaker   

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The US Consul General in Erbil has committed a significant violation of international diplomatic codes by reposting an article critical of the Kurdistan Region in the Foreign Policy Magazine on his social media account, a Kurdish member of parliament said on Sunday.

The remarks by Rebwar Babkayi, chairman of the Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee in the  Kurdistan Parliament, were made during an interview with Kurdistan 24 in Erbil. Babkayi is a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. 

US Consul General Erbil Irvin Hicks Jr. reshared the Foreign Policy argument piece, titled “Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing”, on his LinkedIn account on Saturday, causing an outcry from many. 

The act by the consul was a “colossal violation” of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that regulates the affairs of the diplomatic missions as well as diplomats, Babkayi told Kurdistan 24.

The lawmaker said the diplomat should “apologize” to the people of the Kurdistan Region for sharing the clearly  “politically motivated” piece. 

Regarding whether Erbil would take any legal measures against the diplomat, the lawmaker replied that 

the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Foreign Relations Department and the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs should “speak” with the diplomat on the matter.

Erbil and Washington share “strategic” relations and are allies, the MP said.

“It is not the formal position of the US, so the diplomat should have adhered to his country’s policy,” he said, describing the act as “personal.” It is unbecoming of a diplomat to act in this manner.

“The Kurdistan Region is not a house of cards. It is the result of thousands of martyrs and sacrifices of thousands of families,” Barzani Headquarters, the office of KDP President Masoud Barzani, wrote in a statement on Saturday overnight.