Deputy PM: Kurds are Greatest Victims of WMDs

PUKMEDIA

The Pugwash-Iraq Conference in Sulaymaniyah.

The first Pugwash-Iraq Conference on Science and World Affairs kicked off in Sulaymaniyah on Saturday, 19 April 2025, with the goal of limiting the spread and use of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). During the conference, the opportunities and challenges to stop the spread and use of WMDs were examined.

Dr. Hussain Al-Shahristani, President of Pugwash Conferences, delivered a speech at the conference, where he welcomed the attendees, expressing pleasure that the participants of the conference included the former foreign ministers of Egypt and Iran.

He said: "I'm pleased to announce that former Iranian and Egyptian foreign ministers are attending this conference. In order to protect the people of the region from the catastrophic effects of WMDs, the two nations that presented a proposal to the UN General Assembly in 1974 are continuously working to sign treaties aimed at eradicating WMDs in the region."

Dr. Aram Mohammed, Minister of Higher Education of the Kurdistan Region, read out the speech of Qubad Talabani, during which he said: "Since we Kurds were the biggest victims of the 20th century's genocide, mass killings, and weapons of mass destruction, holding this conference in Kurdistan has significant and deep value for us. The Kurdish people are the most anti-weapons-of-mass destruction nation in the world. No nation can sympathise with the victims of weapons of mass destruction like the Kurds."

He added: "Everyone is aware of the Halabja catastrophe, from which our people continue to suffer in various forms almost forty years later. Therefore, we must cooperate to eradicate the mental, psychological, and ecological effects of chemical weapons on our territory and the people of Halabja, in addition to rejecting the use of weapons of mass destruction with all of our might and capacity."

Furthermore, Deputy PM Talabani said in his speech: "Being one of the biggest victims of WMDs in Kurdistan, we will do everything in our power to assist international efforts to eradicate WMDs and we demand a guarantee of some sort that WMDs won't be used in the future."

The Pugwash-Iraq Conference, which focuses on the restriction of proliferation and use of WMDs in the Middle East, will continue for two days. 

Numerous experts, researchers, and regional and international officials will attend the conference to examine the opportunities and challenges of preventing the spread and use of WMDs while also advocating for concrete measures to eradicate them.

Sulaymaniyah was chosen for the conference for symbolic reasons because it was the area with the highest number of victims of WMDs, particularly in Halabja, which was the site of the most lethal chemical weapons.

Pugwash – Iraq is an Iraqi NGO established after the election of Dr. Hussein Shahristani as the President of the International Organization.

On 16 March 1988, the fallen Ba'ath regime in Iraq bombarded the city of Halabja with prohibited chemical weapons, killing over 5000 civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, while injuring thousands more, most of whom still suffer from their wounds to this day.



PUKMEDIA