Wednesday, 12 December 2007 | By The Globe- Erbil

Partnerships in academic research merely one goal of conference.

President Barzani speaks at Erbil education conference, addresses central government issues and universities' roles in developing society.

Addressing the International Conference of Higher Education in Iraq, sponsored by the region's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani asserted that Iraq, Kurdistan Region in specific, must meet the basic needs of the Iraqi people concerning higher education and work to raise the level in order to achieve international standards and recognition.

"The previous regimes engulfed the country in war, destroyed a generation of young people, harmed the scientific institutions, and discredited professors, and the level of higher education was left to suffer as a consequence," said President Barzani during the conference's launch ceremony.

"We hope the goals of the conference will be attained in order to achieve high and advanced education, so as to complement the march of the democratic process that is desired by the Iraqi people".

The conference began in Erbil on Tuesday and ends on Thursday. Attendants include representatives from all universities in Iraq and in Kurdistan Region, in addition to a large number of representatives from international universities. Some 350 university professors will openly discuss 170 scientific research projects in 8 fields.

"It is necessary for neighboring countries to understand the role of the Kurds-that they do not cause any danger," Barzani said. "But they [the countries] continue to try to reduce Kurds' roles in the establishment of a federal system while saying that because of Article 140 and the oil contracts, the Kurds aim to separate from Iraq."

Regarding the implementation of Article 140, Barzani said: "The application of this article does not mean confiscation of the rights of any side; rather, it is the restoration of rights and the reversal of the Arabization consequences."

Article 140 "does not split Kirkuk from Iraq, but normalizes the situation to what it was before, and this is what the population will approve in a referendum," Barzani explained.

With regard to oil and gas contracts signed by the KRG, Barzani added: "This is a constitutional right and it doesn't violate anything. The oil and gas income must be distributed to the entire Iraqi population as mentioned in the Iraqi Constitution?and completion of the oil and gas law must be accelerated in Baghdad to resolve all outstanding problems."

The absence of the Iraqi flag at the conference was another point raised by Kurdistan's president.

"Many of you may ask why there is no Iraqi flag here, and this issue has been discussed with the Iraqi Prime Minister and Parliament. It must be accelerated to determine an Iraqi flag that represents all components.

"We have asserted time after time that this flag is a Baath flag and it is the Parliament's duty to put an end to it. We are not against Iraq or any party, but we do not assume the Baath flag to represent Iraq because the Baath Party was dissolved by law. A new flag should be determined, and then certainly we will submit to it as Iraqis."