US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3691

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/I-POL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC, PREL, IZ, Kurdistan Islamic Union 
SUBJECT: KURDISTAN PRESIDENT BARZANI SENDS 
CONDOLENCE LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH 
 
1. On September 5 Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani 
addressed a letter to President Bush expressing 
condolences to the families of the victims of 
Hurricane Katrina.  In lieu of an original letter, 
the EQssy received a copy of the letter from 
Deputy Prime Minister Rowsch Noori Shaways, a close 
associate of Barzani. 
 
2. A translation of the letter's text follows: 
 
To His Excellency George W. Bush 
President of the United States of America 
 
We followed with shock and pain the effects of 
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, and 
other American cities. 
 
We share the American people's grief and sorrow for 
this huge catastrophe that has taken the lives of 
thousands of victims and where the injustice of 
nature has destroyed many economic organizations and 
displaced millions of people from their cities. 
 
We declare, in the name of the people of Kurdistan, 
our complete sympathy with the families of the 
victims.  At the same time, we believe that with 
your leadership, the American people, and the 
support of all of the best people in the world, you 
will deal with full courage with the effects of the 
hurricane and will overcome the difficulties 
resulting from it and will deal with prudence with 
the future results. 
 
Once more, and in the name of the people of 
Kurdistan, a close friend of the American people, we 
share your ordeal and wish you and the American 
people all the best. 
 
Masoud Barazani 
President of the Region 
Of Kurdistan 
 
END TRANSLATION. 
 
Satterfield